P2P rally urges International Community to refer Sri Lanka to ICC and hold a referendum on a political solution

The five-day uprising against the government’s repression “From Pottuvil to Polikandy (P2P)” has urged the UN General Assembly and the Security Council to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC), for Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity committed against Tamil people by the Sri Lankan State.

The rally also welcomed the recent report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and called on member states to take action to implement the report’s recommendations. Commissioner’s report, which was released last week, had called the member states to take “steps towards the referral of the situation in Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court”, prosecute Sri Lankans accused of crimes in “before their own national courts” and consider “asset freezes and travel bans” on Sri Lankan officials accused of human rights abuses.

At the end of the rally, saint Velan Swamikal, who led the rally, read out the proclamation.

The declaration also urges the international community to hold a referendum in the North East by the international community to ensure that the Tamil people choose a lasting political solution for themselves so that genocide against the Tamil people does not recur.

The following demands were put forward in this declaration:

The government, through its departments, has intensified Buddhistisation and Sinhala settlements  in the North East. Acquisition of more than 200 ancient temples is underway. The expropriation of the native lands of the Tamil people, the destruction of their livelihoods and the process of Buddhistisation must stop.

The repression of journalists, human rights activists and political activists must stop.

Expropriated lands should be returned.

The cremation of the bodies of the Muslim people must stop and their basic religious rights must be protected.

The destruction of monuments and symbols of the Tamil people must stop.

The request of the hill people who are demanding for a salary increase of 1000 rupees must be met.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act should be repealed, and political prisoners detained under this Act should be released.

Justice must be done to the relations of the missing who are constantly fighting.