2012-03-08 The grave lack of security and sexual exploitation of Tamil women

THE GRAVE LACK OF SECURITY AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF TAMIL WOMEN CONTINUES IN THE TAMIL HOMELAND! TODAY ON INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY, LET US ALL DO SOMETHING POSITIVE TO RENDER PROTECTION AND PREVENTION OF THESE CRIMES!

As the Minister of Women, Children and Elderly Affairs of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, I am proud and indeed pleased to join the women of conviction, courage and dignity and send a message of promise and hope for all the women who are still awaiting justice, equality and freedom in many parts of the world.I continue to consider it my prime duty on this Women’s Day to bring to the attention of the world the true dilemma of Tamil women in Sri Lanka and thank the recent International Crisis Group report in their Asia Report 217 titled ‘Sri Lanka: Women’s Insecurity in the North and East’ on 20 December 2011. The report is a chilling reminder of the unspeakable trauma inflicted by the Sri Lankan state through its heavily centralised military control of the Tamil homeland in the North and East of Sri Lanka.In their report, there is acknowledgement that the vulnerable Tamil women and girls are continually experiencing a total and desperate lack of security in the aftermath of the long civil war, which is extremely distressing. The fact that these suffering victims still continue to live in fear of violence and sexual exploitation from government forces, which are exclusisvley Sinhalese, without any means of a proper redress, further undermines their safety, protection, ability to obtain urgent treatment or assistance.

The Sri Lankan government has continuously rejected any allegations of sexual violence, exploitation of women and girls and intimidation of these vulnerable victims by the governments’ Sinhala security forces, the army and police.  The very government, who tells the International Community not to interfere in its sovereign affairs and that it has the responsibility to protect and safeguard its people is actually condoning the torture, rape and exploitation of vulnerable Tamil women and children by its Sinhalese forces. The International Crisis Group (ICG) report reveals that Tamil women and girls are being forced into prostitution, high teenage pregnancies and trafficking of Tamil women within the country and abroad. It has been well documented that in the North and East of Sri Lanka, the women had always been able to travel without any fear of harassment and felt safe at any time of the day before the Sri Lankan military intervention. But since the brutal end of the civil war, there has been unprecedented increase in sexual violence, exploitation against women and girls. As stated by Mrs Imelda Sugumar, the Sri Lanka Government Agent for Jaffna, in 2011 alone there is a substantial increase in young teenage pregnancies in Sri Lankan army controlled areas.

The Sri Lankan government’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee Report (LLRC) has also been severely criticised by several organisations, including the Tamil National Alliance, the Tamil National People’s Front, US State Department, a cross-party group of British MPs, the International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Our Tamil brethren are understandably voiceless, fearful and intimidated by brutal forces within the country. We are saddened at the deceitful response by the Sri Lankan government and the continued silence of the International Community at the grave trauma still suffered by vulnerable Tamils.

I urgently request for an increased and immediate effort by the International Community to empower and protect the vulnerable Tamil victims and to halt the degradation of the social fabric of the Tamil society in the North and East.

I urge each and every women to stand up and raise their voices to prevent these horrendous situation continuing and further prevent violations of the women in the Tamil homeland and in the rest of the world.

Mrs. Balambihai Murugadas. MP
Minister for  Women, Children and Elderly Affairs
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam

 

 

 

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