Tamil and human rights organizations demand Singapore’s Attorney-General’s Chambers investigate Gotabaya for international crimes

by Vennila
Jul 26, 2022

Tamil and human rights organizations from across the world, issued a joint letter urging Singapore’s Attorney-General's Chambers to investigate and prosecute Gotabaya Rajapaksa for his involvement in international crimes during the culmination of the Tamil Genocide in 2009. 

Rajapaksa - Sri Lanka’s former president, defence secretary and credibly accused war criminal - fled to Singapore after being ousted in Sri Lanka, following his government’s handling of the island’s economic crisis. The credibly accused war criminal is reportedly in Singapore on a Short Term Visit Pass. Rajapaksa submitted his resignation as Sri Lanka’s president via email, making him no longer protected under impunity. 

“Rajapaksa stands credibly accused of committing the world’s most serious crimes, and Singapore should not serve as a safe haven for individuals implicated in grave abuse,” reads the joint letter from the global coalition of Tamil and human rights organizations. 

During Rajapaksa’s tenure as Sri Lanka’s defence secretary, he oversaw the massacring of 70,000 to 169,796 Tamils in 2009, whereby the Sri Lankan state ordered Tamil civilians to go to government-designated “No Fire Zones” and subject them to merciless sustained shelling. 

During the culmination of the Tamil Genocide, “hospitals and makeshift hospitals were attacked at least 30 times”. 

“There is publicly available information that Rajapaksa ordered the execution of LTTE leaders and their family members upon surrender; directed the widespread and systematic bombing of hospitals; and repeatedly asserted that civilian persons and objects were legitimate targets. There are also reports that Rajapaksa may be responsible for commissioning attacks on journalists.”

Rajapaksa and other war criminals that formed the then government continue to face complete impunity amidst credible evidence of committing international crimes like genocide. 

The 17 Tamil and human rights organizations that signed the joint letter are:

  1. People for Equality and Relief in Lanka

  2. Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research

  3. Australian Centre for International Justice

  4. Center for Justice and Accountability

  5. Centre de Protections des Droits du Peuple Tamoul 

  6. Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America

  7. Global Rights Compliance 

  8. Human Rights Watch

  9. International Commission of Jurists

  10. International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School 

  11. REDRESS

  12. Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice

  13. Tamil Americans United PAC

  14. Tamil Rights Group

  15. Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam 

  16. United States Tamil Action Group

  17. World Thamil Organisation 

Read the joint letter in full here. 

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Tamil asylum seekers in Australia mark 100 days of continuous protests for permanent visas

Over 200 refugees and supporters marked a significant milestone by marching 10 kilometers from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office to the Immigration Minister’s office this week, commemorating 100 days of continuous protest.

This demonstration, which culminated in a rally and speeches in Punchbowl, highlighted the plight of refugees denied permanent visas for over 12 years. Speakers at the event shed light on the profound impact of the current system, including barriers to higher education, employment, and access to essential services.

The protest has now entered its 100th day, with Tamil asylum seekers and their supporters continuing their relentless demand for permanent protection. For 38 days, they camped outside Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke’s office in Sydney, calling on the government to end the visa limbo that has left many without basic rights and stability. Tamil asylum seekers have been in Australia for over a decade, living on short-term visas that must be renewed regularly. Without permanent residency, they are excluded from Medicare—Australia’s universal health insurance scheme—and are denied the right to work, study, travel, or access essential services. Many are also required to report to visa offices weekly.

The crisis is compounded by the controversial 'Fast Track' system introduced in 2014 by the Abbott government. According to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, this system has resulted in the rejection of around 8,500 asylum seekers' cases. It specifically targets individuals who sought asylum by sea and arrived in Australia between August 13, 2012, and December 31, 2013. Tamil asylum seekers, stuck in visa limbo for years, have launched protests nationwide, with 24-hour encampments in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.

Amaran - Problematic propaganda

amaran

The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

 

 

 

The patriotic military films of Tamil cinema had taken a back seat for a while. The subject matter is now seldom a prominent theme of a film, instead lurking in the shadows peeking through such as via the heroes in the works of Nelson Dilipkumar. The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

The film follows the tale of Major Mukund Varadarajan (Sivakarthikeyan) and his partner Indhu Rebecca Varghese (Sai Pallavi), who meet at college and soon become lovers. Indhu grapples with her lover’s life ambition of becoming a soldier for the Indian army, admiring his courage and more than willing to become his doting wife at home. We then watch as Mukund is stationed in Kashmir and follow along with his various missions in the volatile area. The film’s depiction of the Indian army is one solely made up of heroes rescuing civilians and looking out for the public’s interests. It is not necessary to delve too much into why this is an oversimplified and problematic portrayal.

The central performances by Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi carry the almost three hour film adequately. Despite moments where Sivakarthikeyan lacks the intensity to land highly emotional scenes, the pair deftly share the screen between them, with Pallavi picking up any slack. Another notable performance comes from Geetha Kailasam, a character actor who has featured in many films recently in the role of ‘the mother.’ ‘Amaran’ gives her another opportunity to showcase her own humorous brand of motherhood.

Technically, the film runs smoothly. The film is decently shot and edited. Other than a few overly melodramatic moments, the screenplay is solid, albeit a little superficial. GV Prakash Kumar continues his trend of matching the quality of the film with the quality of his music. The track ‘Hey Minnale’ is an earworm, but the rest of the score and soundtrack does not shine through.

Overall, ‘Amaran’ is a straightforward piece of propaganda. A shot in ‘Amaran’ depicts a soldier of the Indian army blocking a closing door with his rifle. On the other side of the door is a Kashmiri child. To appease the child, the soldier sneaks a chocolate bar through the gap in the doorway. The reverse of this tactic is what director Rajkumar Periasamy employs to hook his audience in: the sweetness of the Penelope-Odysseus relationship between Mukund and Indhu hides the intrusion of the weapon of jingoist ideology. 

Krishna's rating: 2.5 stars

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Official trailer for film below.

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