Standing among the 1000 plus Australian Tamils at Martin Place last week (18th May) to remember the Tamils massacred in the 2009 war in Sri Lanka, it was very obvious that the trauma for the community is still so deeply devastating.

What has become clear to me is that the Australian Government’s silence during and since the 2009 war adds to the pain the community is enduring.

My Greens colleague in NSW Parliament David Shoebridge in an adjournment speech last night addressed this point. While the UK, US and European countries are taking a stand against the human rights abuses committed under the Rajapakse Government, the Australian Government’s concern regarding Sri Lanka is minimal.

It was encouraging to see that at the recent forum organised by the The Australian Human Rights Commission the issue of Australia’s voice on Sri Lanka’s war crimes was discussed.

The question submitted by Dr Sam Pari from the Australian Tamil Congress was: “With war crimes and human rights violations forcing thousands of Tamils to jump on boats and come to Australia seeking asylum, should Australia be more vocal on the issue of war crimes?”. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay responded saying: “In this region Australia has a crucial responsibility to urge respect for rule of law and urge a end to impunity for serious crimes. Australia has ratified the Rome Statute which set up the ICC and in the preamble to the Rome Statute is that there has to be a determination to end impunity for serious crimes. So on one level you have countries like Australia ratifying and committing to ending impunity. There is a responsibility then for it to speak up and call for accountability in this region.”

As my colleague David Shoebridge said: 

“A generation of Tamils have been killed, brutalised and marginalised right under the gaze of the world, including Australia, and those who have been left behind are subject to a brutal military rule … I hope that soon the survivors are respected and remembered by the Australian Government as it belatedly raises its voice for justice for the Tamil people”.

When I enter Federal Parliament on July 1 I will continue advocating for the equal rights of the Tamils and all those living in Sri Lanka. The Greens have a deep commitment to speak up for those who suffer the injustice of discrimination, marginalisation and state sponsored terror.

Lee Rhiannon addresses the crowd gathered at Martin Place to mourn the loss of their loved ones during the 2009 war in Sri Lanka in which upto 40 000 Tamils were massacred.

Just two years ago the 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka between the Sinhalese ruling elite and the Tamil minority came to a catastrophic end. Up to 40,000 Tamils had been massacred in the five months before 18 May 2009 and some 300,000-plus were in the process of being imprisoned behind barbed wire in mass camps.

Allegations of disappearance, sexual abuse, torture and extrajudicial killings at the hands of Sri Lankan Government officials during the war were rife in the camps.

The 2009 war is often referred to as the war without witness. The Sri Lankan Government administered a complete media blackout for the entire last five months of the war. Aid organisations were forced out in late 2008. The blackout has continued in the camps ever since. It was only because of the courage of some British journalists that evidence of atrocities initially was brought to light.

The response by Australian Government leaders to the war in Sri Lanka, when compared with that of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and some European leaders, has been shamefully minimal. As Sri Lanka is a country in our region we should have taken a leadership role.

Since entering New South Wales Parliament I have spent significant time with the Sydney Tamil community. I have often heard of the complete sense of betrayal by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd the community felt. They were shocked that even after the war, with their family and friends imprisoned like livestock, the Australian Government has been more worried about a tiny minority of Tamils who came to Australia on a boat than the conditions faced by hundreds of thousands in camps that drove so many Tamils to such desperate measures.

Shamefully, this silence continues.

A few weeks ago the United Nations released the report of the Secretary-General’s panel of experts on the final stages of the armed conflict. The report states:

The panel found credible allegations which, if proven, indicate that a wide range of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law were committed both by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, some of which would amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It also states:

The Government shelled on a large scale in three consecutive no-fire zones, where it had encouraged the civilian population to concentrate, even after indicating that it would cease the use of heavy weapons … most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war were caused by Government shelling.

Finally, the report noted:

The conduct of the war represented a grave assault on the entire regime of international law designed to protect individual dignity during both war and peace.

As the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, stated:

… I hope the disturbing new information contained in this report will shock the conscience of the international community into finally taking serious action. As the report itself says, addressing violations of international humanitarian or human rights law is not a matter of choice or policy; it is a duty under domestic and international law.

Despite that, Australia has remained silent.

In March the United States Senate passed a resolution calling upon Colombo, the international community and the United Nations to set up an international mechanism to inquire into war crimes allegations. It also called on President Obama to formulate a Sri Lanka policy that would reflect Washington’s views on human rights and democracy besides economic and security interests.

Even the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has called for an independent investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka. He stated:

We need to see an independent investigation. Everyone has read the papers and seen the TV footage, but we need an independent investigation to work out whether [this] is right.

It is astounding that the Australian Government continues its silence on Sri Lanka and the war. Is it our bilateral trading relationship with the island nation, or upsetting the power struggle between China and India in the Indian Ocean that has led to this?

In another disturbing development, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe recently was approved by the Australian Government to become the next Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Canberra. Admiral Samarasinghe was chief of staff of the Sri Lankan Navy when in 2009 it shelled Tamil soldiers and civilians who were trapped in what had been declared a safe zone. The navy then blocked attempts by the International Committee of the Red Cross to evacuate injured men, women and children from the safe zone.

Yet the Australian Government has accepted that man’s credentials as a diplomat.

As retired diplomat and political commentator Bruce Haigh recently wrote in the Drum,

it is a crying shame that the Australian Government has refused to stand up for international human rights and has settled for low standards by accepting Admiral Samarasinghe’s credentials.

The Australian Tamil Congress stated:

… it is now time for Australia to step away from the soft diplomacy it practices with Sri Lanka and openly call for an international independent inquiry into war crimes that were committed in the island, with trade sanctions and travel bans for Government officials being imposed if Sri Lanka fails to follow.

Last week on 18 May I stood in Martin Place with more than a thousand people to remember the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians who have been killed for simply voicing their wish to live freely, with respect and dignity.

A generation of Tamils have been killed, brutalised and marginalised right under the gaze of the world, including Australia, and those who have been left behind are subject to a brutal military rule.

I also remember the thousands of men, women and children who lost their lives in that little civil war.

I hope that soon the survivors are respected and remembered by the Australian Government as it belatedly raises its voice for justice for the Tamil people.

Greens MP Adam Bandt has expressed dismay at the Australian government’s approval of a former naval commander as the new Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Australia.‬

Mr Bandt said the decision could undermine Australia’s ability to play a positive to role in supporting human rights and peace in Sri Lanka.‬

“Admiral Samarasinghe is the wrong man for the job,” Mr Bandt said.

“The UN has said there needs to be an investigation into war crimes by the navy on his watch.”

“The government is responsible for doing due diligence in the wake of the claims about war crimes and human rights abuses.”‬

“The Australian government would be wise to not accept ex-military officers for diplomatic positions.”‬

“The government needs to revisit this decision.”‬

——— Forwarded message ———-

From: Greens NSW <info@nsw.greens.org.au>
Date: Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 12:41 PM
Subject: 10 Reasons to Vote Green

Elections can be complex. With so much said by parties, pundits, family members, the taxi driver and your hairdresser, it can be hard to explain why you’re voting the way you are. So in this last week of the campaign, we thought we’d list the top reasons to vote Greens on Saturday.

If you like the list, please share it – because you’re far more influential among your friends, family and colleagues than any amount of political advertising.

1.    The Greens work for the community, not big business.
The interests of a privileged, well-connected few have come to dominate NSW politics, as both Labor and Liberal have accepted millions in donations from tobacco, gambling, developing and mining industries. The Greens in NSW don’t accept donations from businesses or unions. We work only for the people we are elected to represent – the community.

2.    For balance in the upper house.
After March 26, there is a danger that the conservatives will control the Upper House, with the likes of Fred Nile and the Shooters & Fishers Party having the ear of the government. The Greens bring balance to parliament, and put the values of tolerance, compassion and common sense back into the heart of NSW politics.

3.    Quality candidates.
The calibre of Greens’ candidates has created a lot of excitement this election. Watch these videos of three of our lead candidates; Fiona Byrne, Jamie Parker, and David Shoebridge, and see what the buzz is about.

4.    The Greens won’t sell off crucial public assets.
Schools, hospitals, power, water and public land are too important to just sell off to the highest bidder. The Greens would invest more in public services and challenge the short-term thinking that dominates modern politics.

5.    For a proven track record in parliament.
Last year Greens Senators helped deliver the economic stimulus package, which safeguarded Australia from the global financial crisis. In NSW, The Greens played a key role in banning political donations from tobacco, gambling, developing and mining industries. In local government, The Greens have four mayors and 76 elected councillors who are making real changes to communities around NSW.

6.    The Greens are the fastest growing party in Australia.
Last federal election, 1 in 10 people in NSW voted for The Greens. Our swing of over 4% was the highest that any party recorded last year.

7.    To clean up the culture of NSW politics.
The Greens do politics differently. We are a grassroots party. We choose our candidates at the local level. We publish our policies on the internet so people can see what we stand for, and our elected representatives are accountable to those policies.

8.    For a clean economy and green jobs.
The Greens have a costed plan to introduce new green jobs in renewable energy, water and public transport industries. No other major party shares this long-term vision.

9.    For public transport and rail.
The Greens understand that fixing the public transport crisis in NSW requires long-term investment. The Greens have an achievable plan for an affordable, efficient public transport system that will reduce congestion as it reduces emissions.

10.    Planning for people and environment.
Across NSW, communities are feeling neglected as developers ride roughshod over the interests of local communities. The Greens have a clear, positive vision for sustainable development, where decision-making rests with the community.

Thank you for helping us spread the word,

Lesa de Leau
Campaign Coordinator, NSW Greens

Three key policy initiatives were announced at the launch –

• to build three baseload solar thermal power plants
• to provide two years of free preschool education
• to increase access to quality public dental care services

Click here to read more about the launch and policies.

Greens MP and lead Upper House Candidate David Shoebridge at the post launch Press Conference

The Upper House is like the Senate in Federal Parliament. 21 candidates will be elected to the NSW Upper House on the 26th of March. The Greens are running 21 candidates and Brami is 6th on the ticket. More information to follow.

Yet another reason to support the Greens on election day! Vote 1 The Greens.

Click on the image to make it larger.

The English translation follows the Tamil one.

The Greens are committed to clean politics, having campaigned for years to remove big political donations and return planning powers to the local community.  Unlike the Labor and Liberal parties the Greens NSW do not take money from corporations or trade unions and do not support selling off public assets or cutting services to the community.

The Greens have led the way in protecting our forests, oceans and rivers and saving our state’s farmland from being destroyed by ever expanding coal mines.

The Greens stand for increased funding for public schools and hospitals, for improved public transport to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, for a Human Rights Bill to protect our rights as citizens, for removal of all forms of discrimination and for more and better public housing.

A vote for the Greens is a vote for putting your family and your community before the interests of powerful lobby groups.

A number of Tamils have told us they would like to hang a ‘Vote 1 The Greens’ corflute outside their homes. If you would also like one – send us an email.

Text of Adam’s speech (taken from Hansard):

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens)

I rise to speak in support of the motion. The long-running civil war in Sri Lanka, which has its roots in the colonial subjugation of that country by the British Empire, has been ongoing and has consumed the country for over 26 years. Estimates vary on the number of people killed during that war but the United Nations says that up to 100,000 people may have lost their lives. That is an incredible figure and represents only the worst end of the terrible misery and suffering that has been experienced by the people of this island nation.

While the Sri Lankan government declared an end to the civil war in May 2009 and the LTTE, or Tamil Tigers, acceded defeat, this conflict cannot be said to be over yet. In fact, it is a reasonable prediction that some form of conflict will continue until the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people to self-determination are addressed in some form or another. Self-determination is an in alienable right recognised in the UN charter and elaborated in article 1 of both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Article 1 states:

All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

While we Greens support the work of the United Nations panel which, as this motion outlines, was established on 22 June 2010 by the United Nations Secretary-General, it is clear that there still needs to be an independent international investigation into the human rights abuses and war crimes, in particular in the final stages of the war. According to reports, the final months and years of this war were the most bloody and involved terrible human rights abuses. Such abuses must be properly investigated and a process towards justice must be achieved. The member for Werriwa in moving this motion made a very important point, and that is that independent observers, whether from the United Nations or elsewhere, must be granted full access to Sri Lanka to be able to investigate all alleged crimes and abuses fully.

According to Amnesty International’s most recent written statement to the 16th session of the UN Human Rights Council released just last week:

Impunity persists for past violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law, and new and serious violations of human rights continue to be reported. In the two years since fighting ended in Sri Lanka evidence of serious violations and abuses by parties to the conflict has continued to mount, but the Sri Lankan Government has refused to acknowledge credible allegations of war crimes and other crimes under international law by its armed forces in the course of the conflict that ended in May 2009. It continues to subject people to enforced disappearances and torture and other ill-treatment. Thousands of people suspected of ties with the … (LTTE) remain in detention without charge.

…            …            …

Some officials still claim publicly that there were no civilian casualties at all.

Australia must take some responsibility for this situation in Sri Lanka, one of our nearest neighbours, because we have failed to put any substantial pressure on Sri Lanka, either directly or in international forums. The Australian government’s failure so far to reject the former head of Sri Lanka’s navy, Thisara Samarasinghe, as a possible new ambassador to Australia is symptomatic of the weak way in which our country has historically responded to the Sri Lankan government’s violation of human rights. Thisara Samarasinghe was in charge of the Sri Lankan navy when their ships were reported to have shelled civilian areas. Surely this makes him unfit to be ambassador. Australia needs to do more to stand up to the Sri Lankan government and protect the human rights of all peoples living in Sri Lanka, including the Tamil people. There needs to be a real independent war crimes investigation with teeth and Australia needs to get behind it.

In conclusion, it has been my privilege to have dealt with people who identify as Tamils living in Australia, in Victoria, from a variety of political and other perspectives, including the Australian Tamil Congress. One thing that certainly does unite the approach they take now that they are living here in this country is their desire to see a peaceful Sri Lanka. Certainly the sense that I get is that they feel that for many years they have been seeking to draw attention, perhaps unsuccessfully, to what has been happening in their country. At the very least, we owe them now a full and independent investigation into the allegations. (Time expired)