GLOBAL TAMIL FORUM

'GTF denounces Nonis' comments'

Ceylon Today article on GTF's response to interview given by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK, Chris Nonis, to the BBC.

http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-48861-news-detail-gtf-denounces-nonis-comments.html

The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) said it was absurd that High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in London, Dr. Chris Nonis, has accused British Prime Minister, David Cameron, of speaking to the Tamil gallery in the UK, during a recent interview with BBC.
 
 

GTF spokesperson, Suren Surendiran, told Ceylon Today, "When the British PM was in Sri Lanka attending CHOGM and back in the UK, he raised the issues of freedom of the press. Lasantha Wickrematunge was gunned down in broad daylight for which no one has been arrested or prosecuted. Prageeth Ekneligoda disappeared just as tens of thousands of Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil people have vanished, violence against women, weakening of
democratic institutions. There is also the impeachment of the Chief Justice, lack of freedom to demonstrate peacefully, Weliweriya incident. When the UK PM speaks against religious intolerance, he is speaking on behalf of Muslim, Hindu and Christian faiths. So, it is just absurd when Dr. Nonis accuses the British PM of speaking to the Tamil gallery," he said.
 
 
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner told BBC that UK PM David Cameron may have highlighted alleged human rights issues in Sri Lanka due to his domestic political considerations with an anticipated election in 2015. He told the BBC journalist that people are entitled to say whatever they wish, but pointed out the purpose of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a gathering of 53 countries, was to discuss the theme of the Commonwealth. It was not there to raise bilateral issues, he added.
 
 
The GTF spokesperson also charged the Sri Lankan Government always comes up with commissions of various kinds every time the noose falls around its neck, as an escape mechanism and no one can fool the international community every time by suggesting steps that are basically a delaying tactic.
 
 
He went on to say that the Commonwealth as an institution has a set of principles and values agreed up on by all 53 countries. As a leading Commonwealth country, Britain like every other country, has the right to call upon all member countries to follow Commonwealth values and principles. "That's all Cameron was highlighting and it is well within his right to do so," he said.
 
 
"He's quite right to call for an international probe and now it is a challenge to the British PM to see it through," Surendiran said.