M.I.

A calls for justice for Tamils raped by Sri

Lankan military
Tamil Guardian 12 June 21!

T"e #orld reno#ned son$#riter and "ip "op artist% M.I.A &Mat"an$i Arulpra$asam' and t"e "uman ri$"ts ad(ocate%
)ianca Ja$$er% called for justice for Tamils #"o "ad been raped by t"e Sri Lankan military.

Actress Maryam *+abo and )ianca Ja$$er at t"e e(ent on ,ednesday.
Speakin$ at an e(ent toni$"t or$anised at t"e -anadian .i$" -ommission in London% to
coincide #it" t"e $lobal summit on endin$ se/ual (iolence in conflict takin$ place t"is #eek%
M.I.A read testimonies of Tamil #omen #"o "ad been raped by Sin"alese soldiers. T"e
emotional readin$% left t"e sin$er in tears as s"e retold t"e "orrific testimonies to t"e audience.
-ommentin$ on )ritis" 0orei$n Secretary ,illiam .a$ue+s announcement t"at t"e 12 #ill
in(esti$ate cases of Tamil asylum seekers bein$ deported to face rape and torture in Sri Lanka%
sin$er M.I.A also stated%
3I+m really $lad t"at ,illiam .a$ue is no# takin$ t"e (iolations of "uman ri$"ts in
Sri Lanka more seriously. )ut "is campai$n is called 4TimeToAct so "e needs to
start puttin$ actions be"ind "is #ork. T"ere are far too many (ulnerable #omen and
men li(in$ t"eir li(es in fear% not kno#in$ #"at #ill "appen to t"em and if t"ey #ill
be sent back to t"e place #"ere t"ey #ere brutally raped and tortured. .is Team of
5/perts must focus t"eir #ork to "elp prosecute t"e rapists% particularly t"ose in t"e
Sri Lankan army #"o are protected by t"e Sri Lankan Go(ernment.3
Object 1
MIA reads a Tamil rape (ictim+s testimony
Supermodel -ara *ele(i$ne also spoke out in support of t"e campai$n for justice% addressin$
t"e e(ent (ia (ideo link and readin$ out a sur(i(or+s testimony.
Object 2
.osted by t"e ))-+s Jenni Murray% t"e e(ent #as also attended by 1S Ambassador for ,ar
-rimes Step"en 6app% 1S Ambassador for ,omen+s Affairs -at"erine 6ussell and Special
6epresentati(e of t"e 17SG on Se/ual 8iolence in -onflict 9ainab )an$ura% #"o deli(ered t"e
keynote address at t"e openin$ plenary session of t"e Global Summit earlier in t"e day.
1S Ambassador for ,ar -rimes Step"en 6app &L' and 1S Ambassador for ,omen+s Affairs -at"erine 6ussell&6'

:asmin Sooka &left'% co;aut"or of t"e report alon$side ot"er dele$ates
T"e e(ent% #"ic" #as or$anised to raise a#areness of t"e se/ual (iolence committed by Sri
Lanka+s military a$ainst Tamils durin$ t"e island+s et"nic conflict% also included )ianca Ja$$er
#"o read testimonies of rape (ictims from a report by co;aut"or of t"e 17 <anel of 5/perts
report on Sri Lanka+s mass atrocities% :asmin Sooka.
Object 3
Actress Maryam d+Abo reads "arro#in$ testimony from rape sur(i(al (ictims.uman 6i$"ts
acti(ist )ianca Ja$$er also said%
3I #elcome 0orei$n Secretary .a$ue+s response to my article and letters% and "is
decision to in(esti$ate t"e deportation of Sri Lankan (ictims of torture and se/ual
(iolence by t"e .ome =ffice.
3)ut t"e battle is far from o(er and #e must continue to pursue justice for t"e
sur(i(ors.
3I ur$e 0orei$n Secretary .a$ue to suspend all deportations of rape and torture
(ictims pendin$ furt"er in(esti$ation and to assi$n t"e Stabilisation 1nit Team of
5/perts to in(esti$ate Sri Lanka% #"ere t"e $o(ernment+s systematic% #idespread
campai$n of se/ual (iolence and torture continues unabated. I ur$e ,illiam .a$ue
to meet #it" some of t"e many sur(i(ors "ere in t"e 12 and "ear t"eir testimony.
3All sur(i(ors of se/ual (iolence in conflict deser(e access to justice and our
support. ,e cannot pick and c"oose #"o #e e/tend t"at justice to.3
Object 4
Jan Jananaya$am of Tamils A$ainst Genocide told t"e Tamil Guardian s"ortly after t"e e(ent%
3It #as difficult to listen to t"e e/cruciatin$ testimony from #itnesses #"ose bra(ery
needs reco$nition. ,e are (ery $rateful to t"e -anadian .i$" -ommission for
"ostin$ t"is e(ent and pus"in$ for justice in Sri Lanka.3

T"e e(ent% #"ic" #as "eld in pri(ate% in order to protect t"e identity of some of t"e (ictims
#"o #ere at t"e e(ent% also included se(eral prominent "uman ri$"ts acti(ists and campai$ners
in attendance% from c"arities and or$anisations t"at #ork #it" refu$ees and asylum seekers.
<osted by T"a(am