March this Sat for boycott of CHOGM in Sri Lanka

Tamils killed by Sri Lankan armed forces May 2009

GPJA Media Release:

John Key urged to join Canada and boycott CHOGM meeting in Sri Lanka

GPJA is supporting a march in Auckland this Saturday organised by the New Zealand Tamil Society to protest war crimes and on-going human rights abuses in Sri Lanka and to call for Prime Minister John Key to boycott this month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka.

The march will leave Britomart at 12 noon for Aotea Square this Saturday 9th November.

“We are asking John Key to join Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and boycott CHOGM which starts on 15th November. Canada is making a strong stand on this issue and New Zealand should join them.”

The government of Sri Lanka is complicit in massive war crimes committed during the closing stages of the war of independence fought by the Tamil minority against the Sri Lankan army under Mahina Rajapaksa – now Sri Lanka’s President.

According to the United Nations, Rajapaksa’s army oversaw the indiscriminate killing of between 40,000 and 70,000 ethnic Tamil civilians in 2009.

Rajapaksa is a war criminal with blood on his hands. As President he has refused all calls for an international inquiry into the indiscriminate bombing of civilians, summary executions, torture and murder which took place under his command. The evidence is incontrovertible with many video clips showing what took place in Sri Lanka’s killing fields.

If John Key goes to CHOGM he will be giving great comfort to the worst war criminal of this century.

Meanwhile human rights abuses against the Tamil community continue across Sri Lanka today.

“We reject the argument that human rights concerns are best delivered in person. A few weasel words behind closed doors will do nothing for the Tamil community of Sri Lanka.”

“The most potent international response is boycott and isolation. Canada is showing the way and we should follow.”

John Minto 0220850161 or 09 8463173
Mike Treen 0295254744
GPJA Spokespeople

PS: The president of the New Zealand Tamil Society is Siva Vasanthan 021 023 51 007

Documentary demands John Key boycott CHOGM meeting in Sri Lanka

5 November 2013

GPJA Media Release:

The shocking documentary “No Fire Zone” shown on the UK’s Channel 4 TV network yesterday shows why John Key must not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka next week.

The documentary is a damning critique of the horrific war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Armed forces in 2009 under Mahinda Rajapaksa who is now the Sri Lankan president.

These are not isolated incidents of torture and murder but war crimes on a grand scale.

The you-tube link to the documentary is here:

Prime Minister John Key simply cannot attend CHOGM and GPJA has sent him a letter today calling on him to withdraw from the meeting and make a strong stand for human rights like the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who is boycotting the meeting.
Meanwhile GPJA is supporting the march organised by the New Zealand Tamil Society for this Saturday which will condemn these war crimes and demand that John Key not give succor to the bloody Rajapaksa regime.

The march gathers at Britomart at 12noon.

John Minto 0220850161 or 09 8463173
Mike Treen 0295254744
GPJA Spokespeople

GPJA will also be supporting the following protest after the anti-CHOGM march:

PROTEST UNJUST JEANS: 2PM SATURDAY, QUEEN ST, AUCKLAND

Our clothing is made, more often than you would think, in the garment industry of Bangladesh. 6 Months ago, a factory collapsed killing hundreds because there were no safety regulations on the buildings. In response to this a global agreement was formed to make companies ensure their workers are safe in their workplace. Companies like Cotton On and K-Mart have signed up. 6 Months on from the catastrophe, buildings keep facing fires and others keep collapsing and Just Jeans still won’t sign the Fire and Safety Accord.

It’s time to stop the murder of Bangladesh factory workers. It’s time companies took responsibility for the safety of those who make their money.

So come with us to Queen St on Saturday the 9th Nov. and let’s change Just Jeans’ mind. Come protest and make a difference. See you there. Invite your friends.
Peace.

http://www.bandt.com.au/news/digital/unjust-jeans-cracks-down-on-consumer-campaign-1

Read: http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/the-rage-after-rana-plaza-kmart-youre.html