Cameron held talks with Tamil groups before CHOGM-UK

Britain said that Prime Minister David Cameron held discussions with representatives of several leading Tamil groups in UK, including Global Tamil Forum and British Tamil Forum, before he leaves for Colombo to participate in the CHOGM last November.

In a response to a question Conservative MP Baroness Warsi informed UK Parliament on Friday that representatives of the following groups were invited to a meeting at Number 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2013: Global Tamil Forum, British Tamils Forum, British Tamil Conservatives, Tamils for Labour, Tamil Information Centre, Tamils Against Genocide, and Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (UK Branch). All of the invited groups attended the meeting.

“In addition to meeting these groups to discuss their concerns relating to attendance at the Commonwealth,” he said.

Speaking further, Warsi also said, “Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and before visiting Sri Lanka to attend CHOGM, my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State, (Hugo Swire) met with a range of interlocutors, including the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Non-Governmental Organisations, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Conservative Friends of Sri Lanka, and Parliamentarians including from the All Party Parliamentary Groups for Tamils and on Sri Lanka, my noble Friend included.”

Meanwhile, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire told UK Parliament that his government will continue to consistently call for progress on human rights, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka, both privately and publicly.

“We continue to consistently call for progress on human rights, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka, both privately and publicly. During his visit to Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2013, the Prime Minister raised our concerns directly with President Rajapaksa. The Prime Minister called for a credible and transparent independent investigation into allegations of violations of humanitarian and human rights law during the military conflict, a meaningful political settlement with the North, including demilitarisation and full implementation of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendations. We judge all of these to be important steps towards reconciliation and lasting peace between communities in Sri Lanka.”

“As a result of our continued concerns, the UK co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka in March 2013. We have made clear the ongoing importance that the international community attaches to lasting peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister has been clear that if credible domestic accountability processes have not begun properly by March 2014, the UK will use our position on the United Nations Human Rights Council to call for an international investigation,” he added.

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)