Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa defeated, Australia urged to push for new way

The Tamil Refugee Council writes Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa defeated, Australia urged to push for new way.

“The Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, could start by reversing Australia’s “whatever it-takes-to-stop-the-boats” foreign policy, which included the shameful (unsuccessful) decision to block the current UN war crimes investigation — a move which saw Australia reject its traditional allies, such as the US, UK and Canada and side with such noted human rights’ abusers as China, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

“Abbott also needs to stop condoning Sri Lankan torture, as he did at CHOGM in Colombo in 2013, and see the change in leadership as a chance to help re-direct policies away from military-led repression to a new way that allows Tamils, in particular, to live the way they decide, and in peace and harmony.

“If Australia really wants to stop Tamils fleeing in the long term, then the root cause must be addressed, which is the persecution. We can only hope that this forms part of the discussion in Abbott’s congratulatory phone call to Sirisena.”

Emphasis Mine

Australia is deeply involved in the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka through our government's support of theirs, and through the forced repatriation of Tamil refugees back to Sri Lanka. We have a shared xenophobia and a desire for a mono-cultural state based on a single language (English and Singhalese) and a single religion (Christianity and Buddhism).

Tamil refugees must be allowed sanctaury in Australia until they feel safe enough to return to a Sri Lanka that is truly multi-cultural.