Tens of thousands of Tamil civilians still remain behind barbed wire in concentration camps over a year on after the genocidal massacre of over 40,000 Tamil civilians.

M&S is actively involved in lobbying on Sri Lanka’s behalf to sweep these human rights violations under the carpet so that it can profit from the island’s textile industry.

Please support the boycott of M&S garments by attending this picket as they directly help pay for the genocide of an entire people in Sri Lanka

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=140674265967014
 
Time: 21 August, 2010 between 11:00 – 16:00

 LocationHarrow, Eailing, Hounslow, Kingston, Croydon, Lewisham, Woolwich, Ilford, Milton Keynes, Coventry

Organized by:Students Against Genocide of Tamils (S.A.G.T)

Washington, D.C., December 16, 2009 – Boycott Sri Lanka released a shockingly innovative No Blood For Panties video series today.  No Blood For Panties is part of a campaign to boycott products made in Sri Lanka in an effort to end the suffering of Sri Lanka’s Tamils.

“Boycott Sri Lanka is very excited about its release of No Blood For Panties,” says Boycott Sri Lanka representative Anjali Manivannan.  “This video series allows us to reach Americans who might otherwise be unaware of the repercussions of their consumer habits.  Sri Lanka uses tax revenue from the textile industry to oppress Tamil civilians and detain them in IDP internment camps.  No Blood For Panties sends the powerful message that buying ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ items and supporting state-sponsored human rights violations is unsexy. It sends the message that consumer conscience is true sexiness.”

The video series follows a couple who experience problems after the man is repelled by the “Made in Sri Lanka” label on the woman’s underwear.  The narrative illustrates how events in the far corners of the world have an impact on our personal lives, and vice versa..

Sri Lanka relies heavily on its textile exports to the U.S., UK, and India.  The taxes paid by textile manufacturers in Sri Lanka are used to fund government operations including post-conflict militarization and the systematic colonization of traditional Tamil lands. Due to Sri Lankan government-imposed media restrictions, many Americans are unable to grasp the gravity of the Tamil people’s plight in Sri Lanka. Boycott Sri Lanka commends Dimension 7 for creating this fascinating video series and providing an innovative tool to advance consumer conscience among the American public. 

About Boycott Sri Lanka & About Sri Lanka
Boycott Sri Lanka is a human rights group composed of American citizens and international members concerned about the crisis in Sri Lanka.  It was formed in 2009 to encourage Americans to promote a sustainable solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict.  Sri Lanka has experienced a brutal ethnic conflict between the Sinhalese-dominated government and the Tamil population, who have been discriminated against since Sri Lanka’s independence.  Over 125,000 lives have been lost in the conflict. For more information, visit www.boycottsrilanka.com.

By Ehalaivan

Marks & Spencer’s Chief Executive Officer, Sir Stuart Rose, has hailed Sri Lanka’s “ethical standards” and has assured government’s parliamentarians that he will he everything possible to support Sri Lanka’s application for the GSP+ concessions. M&S is the largest clothing operator in the United Kingdom.

According to the news report filed by Sri Lanka’s Island news paper on Sunday, April 27, 2008, he is reported to said, “I understand how important the GSP+ scheme is for Sri Lanka. I will do everything possible to support your application for these concessions”.

While commending on Sri Lanka’s achievements, he is also reportedly have said, “There are others who merely talk, but Sri Lanka is a doer”, he underscored. “That’s what makes the difference”.

One couldn’t agree more with Sir Stuart Rose. Yes, Sri Lanka is a doer. One just needs to look at what Sri Lanka has been doing the past thirty years and it becomes apparent how impeccable their standards are when it comes to Human Rights. Sri Lanka has been receiving worldwide condemnation for its horrendous Human Rights records.

It has been in the top 3 countries from around the world in Government sponsored disappearances consistently for more than 15 years. Over the past 5 years more than 120 media personnel have been killed. More than 6000 Tamils have been killed over the same period by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, however, continues to receive large amount of money from foreign countries to stream roll its ethnic cleansing of the Tamil community. Annually, it receives about $900 million from Japan, about $600 million from China, and $250 million from India amongst others. China has recently increased its aid to more than one billion dollars. Iran has also joined the fray and has pledged more than a billion dollars for the GoSL’s war chest.

It is time M & S realizes that by supporting the Government Sri Lanka, even if it is by speaking in support of extending the GSP+ status, it is contributing to the Sri Lankan war-economy and that may make one, like M & S an accessory to the continuing genocide of the Tamils.

One would only hope Sir Stuart Rose, will pay heed to a call by a Toronto-based Human Rights campaign, “Blood Money is Not Cool”. They said in a recent PR, “Opening a factory when the whole world is calling for tougher sanctions against Sri Lanka is much worse than making money from the deplorable sweat shops being operated (in) India, Mexico and other such developing countries. Marks & Spencer may be cool but blood money is certainly not cool”.

Please keep in mind that the GoSL has been involved in numerous massacres, assassinations, and other human rights abuses for more than 30 years. Thus is not a comprehensive listing of all the abuses – only a few samples.

April 20, 08 – Fr. Karunaratnam, Chair Northeast Secretariat on Human Rights assassinated by GoSL – NESOHR – After presiding over Sunday Mass, Rev. Fr. Karunaratnam was travelling to attend the 45th day Remembrance event of the late Mr. Sivanesan MP (TNA), who too was assassinated by the Sri Lanka Army’s Deep Penetration Unit recently.

March 6, 08 – TamilNet - The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP), headed by P N Bhagwati, former Indian Chief Justice, has decided to terminate its operations in Sri Lanka, according to a statement issued by the IIGEP on Thursday. “The IIGEP is of the opinion that there has not been the minimum level of trust necessary for the success of the work of the commission and the IIGEP”.  

March 6, 08 – Mr. Kiddnan Sivanesan, MP was assassinated by Sri Lanka Armed Forces – Mr. K. Sivanesan, a Tamil Member of Parliament, returning to his family, in the Vanni mainland, after attending the Parliamentary sessions in Colombo was killed in a claymore mine attack of the Sri Lanka Army’s Deep Penetration Unit on March 6, 08. He joins a long list of Tamil parliamentarians who have been killed by the Government of Sri Lanka.   

Tamil Guardian carried the following article detailing his death:

http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=1622

Norway condemns the assassination of K. Sivanesan MP – http://www.norway.lk/press/

Jan 01, 2008 - T. Maheswaran, MP, Colombo District  assassinated by Sri Lanka Militia men in a Temple – Earlier this year, on new year’s day, Colombo district Tamil parliamentarian of the opposition United National Party, T. Maheswaran, was shot at Ponnambala Va’neasvarar temple in Colombo. A detailed account of that assassination was published by the TamilNet.

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=24140

10 November 2006. – Mr. Raviraj, MP for Jaffna District was shot dead in broad day light in Colombo, Sri Lanka – Tamil National Alliancemember of Parliament Mr.Nadarajah Raviraj was shot dead by an unidentified group of gunmen in broad-day light in the capital city of Colombo, Sri Lanka on 10 November 2006.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article632933.ece

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20229

March 06, 08 – Human Rights Watch Urgent Request -  “The Sri Lankan government is responsible for widespread abductions and “disappearances” that are a national crisis, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch urged the government to reveal the whereabouts of the “disappeared,” immediately end the practice, and hold the perpetrators accountable.”

August 4, 2006 – Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers – Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers, also known as the Muttur massacre, took place on August 4 or 5, 2006, when 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger (known internationally as Action Contre la Faim, or ACF) were shot at close range in the city of Muttur, close to Trincomalee by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The victims included sixteen minority Sri Lankan Tamils and one Sri Lankan Muslim.

25 December 2005 – Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, MP, Batticaloa District assassinated in a Church during Christmas mass  -  Joseph Pararajasingham,  a Tamil nationalist and Batticaloa district Member of Parliament (MP) of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and a committed political activist in the struggle for Tamil Eelam, was shot dead at St. Mary’s cathedral church in Batticaloa, Tamil Eelam  while attending Christmas prayers early morning at 1.20 a.m Sunday 25 December 2005.

For more information: http://www.tamilnation.org/hundredtamils/pararajasingham.htm

http://www.redorbit.com/news/international/343241/slain_mp_buried_in_slanka_as_war_fears_mount/

HR Activists Cautions Marks & Spencer

April 25, 2008, Toronto, Canada. Human Rights activists in Canada have called on Marks & Spencer, England’s premier retailer to reconsider its decision to open a new factory in the war torn Sri Lanka.

Ms. Valli Siva, a spokesperson for Blood Money is Not Cool campaign in Toronto said “We would like to remind Marks & Spencer that only recently a Britain based Tamil-spearheaded coalition had gone public requesting an economic embargo until the Government of Sri Lanka begin respecting human rights and freedom of all the people”.

It was reported in a Sri Lankan daily, “dailymirror.lk” that the “… new green model manufacturing garment factory in Sri Lanka that will be opened by Marks & Spencer tomorrow will become a benchmark for its factories globally.”

According to a news item published in the popular www.news.TamilCanadian.com news board, “The move by Marks & Spencer comes at a time when Sri Lanka is facing an uphill challenge in retaining the duty free status. Recently Feizal Samath for the IPS news service had written ” duty free access it enjoys to European markets will soon be cut as a result of alleged human rights violations related to the government’s pursuit of a military solution to a long-standing ethnic conflict”.

As recent as last week, a much respected Human Rights activist and a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. X. Karunaratnam was assassinated by the Sri Lankan soldiers, in broad day light, as he was making his way to his home from his Church in the Northern region of Wanni in Sri Lanka.

“Opening a factory when the whole world is calling for tougher sanctions against Sri Lanka is much worse than making money from the deplorable sweat shops being operated India, Mexico and other such developing countries. Marks & Spencer may be cool but blood money is certainly not cool” opined, Ms. Siva.

Sri Lanka has been waging war on the Island’s ethnic Tamil community for more than thirty years. The Government of Sri Lanka, under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse, has been criticized for its horrendous human rights records. Over the past thirty years, more than 85,000 Tamil civilians have been killed by Government forces of Sri Lanka. 

Marks & Spencer, England’s premier retailer has opened its doors in Sri Lanka. It was reported in the Sri Lankan daily, “dailymirror.lk” that the “The new green model manufacturing garment factory in Sri Lanka that will be opened by Marks & Spencer tomorrow will become a benchmark for its factories globally, the company said.”

The move by Marks & Spencer comes at a time when Sri Lanka is facing an uphill challenge in retaining the duty free status. It was recently reported by Feizal Samath for the IPS ”duty free access it enjoys to European markets will soon be cut as a result of alleged human rights violations related to the government’s pursuit of a military solution to a long-standing ethnic conflict”

Recently a British Tamil-spearheaded coalition had gone public and had requested to place an economic embargo until the Government of Sri Lanka starts to respect human rights and freedom. It is to be noted that the conditions in Sri Lanka have since then deteriorated significantly. Last week, a much respected Human Rights activist and a catholic priest, Rev. Fr. X. Karunaratnam was assassinated by the Sri Lanka’s Armed soldiers as he was making his way to his home from the Church, after a mass.

The opening of the factory at this time comes as a slap in the face of Human Rights activists from arround the world who have been campaigning for the improvement of Human Rights. It is feared such actions will continue to contribute only towards Sri Lanka’s war chest and will not have much impact on its economic upliftment. Commentators have also warned that Marks & Spencer may be trying to play the dirty game of fishing in the troubled waters. This may turn out to be a financial and public relations horror for the board at Marks & Spencer, warned an analyst.

Sri Lanka is waging a thirty year war on the Tamil minority. The Government of Sri Lanka under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse has been criticised for the horrendous human rights record. Over the past thirty years, more than 85,000 Tamil civilians have been killed by Government forces of Sri Lanka. 

Relevant news stories:

RIGHTS-SRI LANKA: War May See EU Duty Concessions Cut

Tamils around the world have called for a global boycott of Sri Lankan Airlines in protest at the Colombo government’s decision to end its six-year ceasefire with rebels.

As many as 300,000 Tamils from Sri Lanka live in the UK. There are an estimated 350,000 in Canada and around 100,000 each in the United States and South Africa.

“The Sri Lankan government has abandoned all pretence of observing a ceasefire while resorting to an escalating war on the Tamils corralled into an ever tightening military cordon in their traditional homeland,” said Ivan Pedropillai, of the British Tamils Forum.

“We appeal to our fellow Tamils … to understand that travelling with Sri Lankan Airlines is tantamount to paying the government of Sri Lanka to buy the weaponry with which to kill our own people in their homeland in Sri Lanka.

“We appreciate that flying with other airlines to Colombo may involve some delay in transit stopovers.”

He also urged Britons to avoid taking holidays in Sri Lanka: “We extend this appeal to our other British compatriots who want to travel on holidays to Sri Lanka to think of the deaths and destruction that their money paid will eventually cause among the Tamils of Sri Lanka and to kindly avoid such travel.”

Sri Lankan Airlines declined to comment on the boycott threat. Sources at the Sri Lankan High Commission, however, said that such campaigns had failed in the past.

“They have tried many times to request the Tamil expatriate community living in the UK to boycott even Sri Lanklan products,” the source said, “but they failed. The people did not listen. They are trying to find an opportunity to hit the Sri Lankan government.

“The government decided to abrogate the treaty because there’s no point in having a document that serves no purpose.

“The Tamil Tigers were carrying out atrocities even before the treaty was ended.”

More than 70,000 people have been killed since 1983 when the LTTE began its paramilitary campaign for a separate homeland for the minority Tamil population.

The Sri Lankan foreign minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, claimed that the rebels had used the ceasefire simply to rebuild their military strength.