Written By: Human Rights and Advocacy Council of Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA)
The United Nations Human Rights Council convened its 22nd session today. In light of this, more substantial evidence has surfaced that illustrate the atrocities committed by the Sri-Lankan State Government during the genocidal onslaught against the Tamils in 2009 . One of the most appalling evidence recently surfaced, include the picture of a 12-year-old child, innocently eating a snack just before being cold-heatedly murdered by the Sri Lankan Army. While the Sri Lankan Government had claimed that the child was murdered in a crossfire during the final stages of the war, a new documentary called ‘No Fire Zone’ claims to have evidence that the child was in fact captured, and later killed by the Sri Lankan Army itself. This documentary was screened at the Geneva Human Rights Film Festival.
Balachandran Prabhakaran was a child, innocent enough to be lured into danger by the presentation of a snack. Although ‘No Fire Zone’ has not yet been screened, the pictures regarding this cruel event have been posted on the Internet and have caused widespread anger about the conduct of the Sri-Lankan Government. The photographs that showcase the child eating a snack in a bunker and then juxtaposed, dead on the ground with bullet wounds were taken by the Army who kept these images as war trophies. These types of atrocious acts and unwarranted cruelty should not prevail in this world.
This child was captured, given a snack, and then murdered. This type of brutality should not be tolerated anywhere in the world. But what can you do when the government itself is the cause of a child’s demise? What was this child supposed to do? As Canadians, we experience freedom. We might not realize it, but it’s a huge ease of mind to not have to worry about our lives being in constant jeopardy. Meanwhile, the protection of human rights and freedom is what our brothers and sisters back home desperately need.
Unfortunately, Balachandran is not the start nor end of these merciless killings. The Sri Lankan Government has a long history of separating and targeting Tamil children and women. Let us not forget August 14th 2006, when the Sri Lankan Air Force bombarded an orphanage killing innocent young Tamil girls. Even during the final stages of the war in 2009, the Army deliberately attacked and dropped bombs over the no fire zones. It makes one wonder whether these zones were just a scheme to lure Tamil individuals to come to an area where the Sri Lankan army can plan bombings. While the No Fire Zone was being used to set up makeshift hospitals, the Army continuously dropped heavy artillery over the zones under the guise of carrying out a humanitarian rescue operation. How can a government guarantee a safe area and then attack that area? How can they put you in danger after gaining trust and promising you safety? Balachandran Prabakharan’s murder is not his alone. It is a reflection of so many children who have been killed in the same way.
This isn’t just about a government trying to kill Tamil children and people. This isn’t just about a collection of human rights violations. This is bigger. This is a government actively trying to annihilate an ethnic group. With the screening of the ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary, Sri Lanka begins to scuffle as their true colours begin to show. Sri Lankan Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha recently told the head of the U.N. Human Rights Council that the global body would be violating its own rules if the film were screened in Geneva at a meeting hosted by human rights groups. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Sri Lanka continues to deny all allegations. As the evidence continues to pile up against them, the crimes of this corrupted government will soon come into light and the world will finally realize the reasons behind the tears and fight of Eelam Tamil people.
The Human Rights Advocacy council aims to build the capacity of Canadian Tamil youth by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to advocate for the protection of human rights in Canada and abroad. This council will strive to not only uphold international law and the Geneva conventions, but also educate our youth and the broader Canadian society about the ongoing plight of Tamil people.
