APPG Press Releases

Press Statement on 03.11.2009 by APPG for Tamils

United States leads initiative to investigate alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka  [Press release from APPG for Tamils 03.11.2009]
All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) joins international calls for a full independent investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka and welcomes the initiatives taken by the United States.
APPG-T welcomes United States authorities questioning of Sri Lankan Army General Sarath
Fonseka. This is an important first step in bringing the perpetrators of alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka to justice and also begin the process of a true reconciliation between ethnic communities in the island.
APPG-T will be requesting the Foreign Secretary to support the United States Government's efforts to probe into war crimes in Sri Lanka and also fully endorse the U.S. Department of State’s Report to Congress submitted on 22 October 2009, which detailed alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by both warring parties during the military offensive this year.[ More........]

Press Statement on 26.04.2009 by APPG for Tamils

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) has received credible information that the Sri Lankan Government Forces are preparing for a final onslaught on the ‘Safe Zone’ by air, sea and land. This will result in a humanitarian carnage of unimaginable magnitude with an estimated, over 100,000 civilians encircled within a dense area. Such an offensive in a densely populated area could potentially cause over 10,000 civilians being killed instantly.

The APPG-T appeals to Her Majesty's Government, NGOs and Governments around the world, to act immediately to prevent this devastation in the "No Fire Zone".

                                                        Appg for Tamils  Statement

Press Statement on 15.04.2009 by APPG for Tamils

Civilians fear for their lives due to impending Sri Lankan offensive into the “Safe Zone”

 All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) join the Co-Chairs in their calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka. We want an immediate and permanent ceasefire and not a humanitarian pause. 

Medical staff and the civilians in the conflict zone fear that the Sri Lankan military is planning a major offensive into the safe zone in the next few days. Given the Sri Lankan military’s behaviour during the past week, including the deployment of internationally banned chemical weapons on civilians, there is a well founded fear that a large number of civilians will be killed. 

It is reported even after the 48 hour ‘ceasefire’ that was unilaterally declared by Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) today there had been artillery fire from the forces into the ‘no fire zone’. Photos of injured civilians including very young children have appeared.

Press Statement on 09.09.2008 by APPG for Tamils

Sri Lanka’s decision to bar foreign aid staff – Britain must Act Now
The violence unleashed against the Tamil people and the suffering they have been subjected to by the Government of Sri Lanka, in the name of fight against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is inhumane and unacceptable. There are nearly a quarter of a million internally displaced Tamils in the Wanni region – the Tamil Tiger controlled areas. Sri Lanka’s decision to bar foreign aid staff at this critical juncture from these areas, when these internally displaced people most need help of the aid staff, begs the question whether the Government of Sri Lanka will ever adhere to international norms.

Press Statement on 01.06.2008   by APPG for Tamils

All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils New Office Bearers

 Press Statement on 24.04.2008  by APPG for Tamils

 Sunday’s killing of a highly respected Tamil human rights activist and a religious  leader Reverend Father M X Karunaratnam, the chairman of the   North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESoHR) should be strongly condemned by peace lovers within both the warring communities.