Article 20: (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Click here to watch video in Article 20, Right to Assembly and Association
On Tuesday, many Tamils gathered to mourn the deaths of their family, friends and people who perished in the May massacres. While standing among my many brothers and sisters, who all came together in solidarity to commemorate the deaths of our people back home, I was reminded that the strength of our community, is unity and pride of being a Tamil. All those in attendance, and all those many others who stood in spirit with us, all respected us as being Tamils. We are Tamil, and we take pride in being so. However, the Sri-Lankan Government did not recognize the freedom of association, and the freedom from being compelled into another association.
No one should be compelled to belong to an association, according to part 2 of Article 20. Despite this, last year, Sri-Lankan soldiers, agents of the government, forced Tamils to hoist the Sri-Lankan flag in the Jaffna peninsula – a direct violation of Section 2. The Sri-Lankan Government had forced Tamil residents to raise the Sri-Lankan Lion Flag alongside Government institutions to mark the ‘celebration’ of the Sri-Lankan government. Not only were they forcing Tamils to partake in ‘celebrations’ of the Sri-Lankan Government, but they blocked all events commemorating the Tamils killed by the Sri-Lankan Government.
The Sri-Lankan flag is a flag which many Tamils do not identify with, and do not hold allegiance to; by forcing them to hoist a flag that does not represent them, they are forcing them to celebrate with their murderers. The Tamils in Eelam are not Sri-Lankans, they are from Tamil Eelam. Those who did not hoist the flag were subjected to severe checking and inconvenience. Tamils pride themselves on their heritage and history, by forcing Tamils to hoist a flag that represents the blood of over 50,000 Tamils, their freedom from being forced into an association is infringed.
Now, think about that, for victims who have just lost many of their loves ones in the hands of a ruthless regime, forcing them to take part in ‘celebrations’ with their murderers in a great insult. The Tamils have a right to be Tamil, and they have the freedom from being compelled to take part in ‘celebrations’ of another group, but clearly, the Sri-Lankan Government doesn’t believe the Tamils deserve this right.
Credits:
http://tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=31781
Tags: Speak Out
