Over 100,000 people, mostly Tamils, came from across the UK to march in central London on Saturday demanding an end to the war in Sri Lanka and the atrocities carried out by the military. The WSWS interviewed participants on the protest.
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Over 100,000 demonstrate in London against Sri Lankan war
By Ajay Prakash and Paul Mitchell
http://www.wsws.org
2 February 2009
Over 100,000 people, mostly Tamils came from across the UK to march in central London on Saturday demanding an end to the war in Sri Lanka and the atrocities carried out by the military. During the march itself reports came in of a cluster bomb attack that killed 39 civilians and wounded 128 more.
Saturday’s demonstration was the largest ever of its kind and took the organizers, who only expected a few thousand to turn up, completely by surprise. The police were likewise unprepared, and central London ground to a halt as the march made its way from the Tate Britain gallery past Downing Street, the residence of UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to Temple Station where speakers addressed the enormous crowd. Only a few were able to make their speeches before the police demanded an end to the rally claiming the organizers did not have permission to use a public address system.
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via Over 100,000 demonstrate in London against Sri Lankan war.
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Thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers perish in northern offensive
By our reporters
http://www.wsws.org
2 February 2009
The Sri Lankan government’s ongoing military offensive against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has not only created a massive humanitarian crisis in the northern Wanni area, where UN agencies have warned that least 250,000 Tamil civilians are trapped without shelter or adequate food.
Thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers, nearly all of them poverty-stricken rural youth, have also been killed on the front lines. Desperate to win the war, the government and the military have recruited tens of thousands of jobless young men and sent them to fight and die on the front after only three to four months training.
Just as the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse has sought to hide the civilian casualties, it has also covered up the soldiers’ death toll. Last October, the defence ministry stopped giving casualty figures for soldiers, citing “security reasons”.
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via Thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers perish in northern offensive.
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Demonstration in Jaffna, Sri Lanka
http://www.euronews.net Protestors marched to the United Nations office to protest against the Tamil tigers who hold civilians hostage.
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Sri Lankan Government(s) have been systamatically cleansing Sri Lanka from Tamils, Tamils culture, and Tamils’ Infrastructures.
Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka dates back to 1948: http://www.nowpublic.com/world/under-reported-underdogs
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Another under reported conflict resulting from people who desire to live free. How many more of these conflicts exist? Why is nothing being done? Why is the US or UN not helping in these other conflicts? Could it because these areas don’t contain coveted natural resources?
Thanks for posting this Lo.
Thanks, Shaine, I think you answered your own question. Our humanitarian aid only goes to those with natural resources that US corporations can then exploit.