The press release pointed out that Keith Vaz was enthusiastic to know about the Tamils of the North and East and Britain and the deprival of their democratic rights by the LTTE. Participants observed that Keith Vaz has had an opportunity to learn about the wider views of the Tamils and Muslims who campaign for democracy and honorable and lasting political solution to the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis.
The full text of the Press release is given below:
Sri Lankan Tamil and Muslim Diaspora Community representatives met Hon.Keith Vaz, British Member of Parliament for Leicester East of the Labour Party and the head of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APRG-T) at 5.40 P.M on 27 June 2007 at the House of Commons Offices, Portcullis House, London. The meeting was organised by the Tamil Democratic Congress.
Members of the Tamil and Muslim communities, who represent various political parties and socio -political organisations met Mr Keith Vaz M.P on his special invitation following by the Diaspora community. Mr Keith Vaz’s political secretary Vernon Hunte was also present during the meeting and had consistently interacted with the participants to clarify issues pertaining to the peace process, human right violations in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Keith Vaz showed immense interest to know about the human right violations in general and the Tamils in particular in the North and East in Sri Lanka. He was also keen to learn about the LTTE’s human rights violations in the North and East, as most of the participant had first hand knowledge of the LTTE’s intimidation and cruelty towards the Tamil and Muslim population in the North and East.
The Participants observed that Mr.Keith Vaz has had an opportunity to learn about the wider views of the Tamils and Muslims who campaign for democracy and honourable and lasting political solution to the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis. At the end of the meeting he responded positively that he would be helpful to the Parliamentary group in their effort to contributing to a political solution in Sri Lanka.
He was content with the views of those who were present, in relation to democracy and peaceful resolution to the Sri Lankan problem. He also assured that he would ensure that the members of all the organizations who were present are included in the future meetings of the APRG-T to bring in wider perspective of Tamils and Muslim views in the process.
He was enthusiastic to know about the Tamils of the North and East and Britain and the deprival of their democratic rights by the LTTE. He emphasized that he was not reliant on Tamil votes and his concern was not based on any political mileage. At the discussion Mr. Keith Vaz expressed that his out going Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, could be involved in the Sri Lankan peace Process and his Parliamentary Group hope to visit Sri Lanka soon on a fact finding mission.
The group also raised their experience about the anti-democratic and anti-social activities of the LTTE to suppress the freewill of the Tamil people in the United Kingdom and the APPG chairman showed keen interest to see documentary evidence support this claim.
When insisted that he should also visit the LTTE controlled Vanni, the closed autocratic pocket of LTTE, he made a hilarious comment that he would be incarcerated in by the LTTE.
It emerged that the meeting was timely and enlightening to all those who participated and dispelled misunderstandings of the role of APPG-T.
Forwarded by the Sri Lankan Muslim Information Centre - UK)
Source: Asian Tribune
2007-06-29
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