To the president of Sri Lanka, (gosl@presidentsl.org)
in his capacity as head of security in the country
Stop the killings!
Stop the cover-up and shielding of assassins!
We are greatly angered by the news of the murder of Sri Lankan MP, Nadarajah Raviraj. Terror gangs have for months now been attacking and murdering Tamils and now those defending the rights of the Tamil-speaking minority in Sri Lanka. The fact that these gangs are able to kill a prominent MP is proof of the cover-up and shielding of the assassins by the state.
This murder is particularly political and in line with the policies of racist and communalist groups within the camp of the government. Nadarajah Raviraj was Tamil, representing Jaffna in parliament. Over the recent months, he was active in the Civil Monitoring Committee, a committee that with clarity and courage protests against the killings and abductions.
We fully support the work of the Civil Monitoring Committee, an initiative toward peace and against communalism. We are alarmed by the threat against leaders of this committee, particularly Siritunga Jayasuriya, the leader of the United Socialist Party. The USP has, over the years, built support for a class answer to the national question of the Tamils – a solution that would benefit all workers and poor on the island, both Sinhalese and Tamil-speaking.
The killings and kidnappings are attempts to block any step towards peace in Sri Lanka. They are paving the way for war and further killings.
Linked up in a world-wide campaign, we will continue to make as much noise in protest as we can.
We have no intention of stopping as long as the lives of activists and opponents of the war are in danger.
We demand action to stop the killings!
The government’s protection and cover-up for the murder gangs has to stop!
signed Dónal Greene & Brian Greene