Violence in Sri Lanka has recently escalated to a new level. Over 5000 people have been killed since beginning of last year and many thousands of people have been displaced due to the war. Members of the British parliament's All Party British Parliamentary Tamil Group express our deepest sympathies with the families and friends of all those killed in the recent violence.

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils also joins with peace lovers in all communities and strongly condemns the assassination last Friday of the moderate Tamil leader Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan. Killing of this nature is never acceptable whether it is Tamil or Sinhalese.

Mr Thamilchelvan was a well recognised peace negotiator who was one of the main contacts for the international communities in facilitating peace in Sri Lanka. This assassination has slammed shut another of the doors to peace in Sri Lanka.

As a key member of the negotiating team on the Tamils behalf, Mr Thamilchelvan has worked tirelessly since 1994 and participated at every attempted peace negotiation meeting between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. One of the objectives set by the APPG in May 2007 had been to invite Mr Thamilchelvan to the British parliament to discuss his views about the way forward for peace in Sri Lanka.

This killing has come at a time when international organisations such as the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and governments such as those of the US, UK and India as well as the European Parliament have all raised concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

As well as condemning this killing in the strongest terms, the All Party Parliamentary Tamil Group calls on all parties to honour the Cease Fire Agreement signed back in 2002 and return to the negotiating table.

ENDS

Source: All Party British Parliamentary Tamil Group
Date: 09th Nov 2007