Peaceful Tamil Protestors Attacked by Sri Lankan Fans

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Written By: The Human Rights Advocacy Council

On Monday June 17th, 2013, Tamil protestors were campaigning for a boycott of Sri Lankan cricket outside the Oval cricket stadium in London. Near the end of the game, Sri Lankan cricket fans had recklessly assaulted the Tamil demonstrators both verbally and physically.

A significant portion of the Tamil campaigners consisted of children, youth, women, and the elderly; however, this did not discourage the Sri Lankan crickets fans from attacking the peaceful protestors. Children were terrified and women were also attacked. As the Sri Lankan cricket supporters continued to emerge to assault the Tamil activists, the violence escalated. The placards that the campaigners had been using were seized from them and were being used by the Sri Lankan fans as weapons of violence against the Tamil protestors. It was also quite apparent that the verbal attacks that were being made against the protestors had emphasized the protestors’ identity as Tamil people. As such, it was noticeable that the Sri Lankan cricket supporters had assaulted the activists largely due to their identification as being Tamil people. It was no secret that this was an attack on the Tamil activists just because they were Tamil people who were exercising their freedom of speech.

These racists acts and verbal chants that were asserted against the peaceful Tamil protestors illustrate the extent to which the Tamil people continue to face intimidation by those who associate themselves with the genocidal state of Sri Lanka. It is absolutely atrocious that not only do Eelam Tamil people continue to endure the militarization of their homeland and the systematic genocide by the Government of Sri Lanka, but they are also being attacked and trying to be silenced and suppressed within the Diaspora.

The Human Rights Advocacy Council of CTYA joins Global Tamil Youth League in condemning the attacks against our brothers and sisters in the United Kingdom. This is not only a violation of their freedom of speech, but in addition to that, such uncivilized acts as the ones committed can lead towards drastic human rights violations, violence, and racist tactics. The Human Rights Advocacy Council of CTYA calls upon the Tamil youth and other human rights activists to continue to work to spread awareness about the ongoing genocide against the Eelam Tamil people.

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