On July 23, 2013, a documentary on Sri Lanka ethnic massacre of Tamils called ‘No Fire Zone’ by British director Callum Macrae was abruptly stopped and cancelled by the Malaysian police and immigration officials. The screening organised by Pusat Komas, a human rights organization, was meant to highlight and to bring to public knowledge about the horrendous plight of Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka.
In the immediate aftermath, thousands of Tamils were killed, thousands disappeared and women faced the most brutal treatment by the undisciplined armed forces of the Sri Lankan government. The raid resulted in the arrest and detention of three human rights activists.
More than two months ago, the Penang Society of Advancement of Tamils, decided to organise a one-day international forum on human rights violations in Sri Lanka. The focus was on the human rights released by the UN Office of Investigation on Sri Lanka and the subsequent resolution that was proposed by the US in the UN Human Rights Council in late September 2015.
About three weeks ago, there were attempts on the part of the Sri Lankan High Commission to cancel the forum. Letters were sent to the chief minister of Penang asking him to cancel the forum as it was organized by ‘pro-LTTE elements’.
Beyond this, the Sri Lankan High Commission made attempts to block the arrival of Vaiko, the secretary-general of MDMK political party in Tamil Nadu, India. His visa application was rejected by the Malaysian Consulate in Chennai, but however, with the timely intervention of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Home Affairs Minister, his visa was granted on Thursday, Nov 19, 2015, and he subsequently arrived in Malaysia on the morning of Sept 20, 2015.
Knowing very well that Vaiko is an outspoken person on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and the person who is able to draw crowds, they tried their level best to stop him from participating in the international forum in Penang. Obviously, this move failed.
It is strange that despite all the talk about deeds of the new government in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan missions abroad are still active in trying to stop forums, seminars and conferences for that matter anything gatherings aimed at critically examining the human rights record of the country.
Despite the odds, the Penang International Forum on human rights violations will take place without fail on the morning of Nov 21, 2015.
The chief minister of Penang will officially open the forum and two keynote addresses will be given by Lim Kit Siang, Member of Parliament for Gelang Patah and Vaiko from MDMK political party, Tamil Nadu India.
Other speakers in this one-day forum include Penang Deputy Chief Minister Prof P Ramasamy, members of Parliament M Kulasegaran, Steven Sim, Zairil Khir Johari and provincial council member from Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Ananthi Sasitharan, and Mohamad Sabu, from Parti Amanah Negara.
P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.
