MP raises plight of Tamils with Prime Minister (Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats <barkinganddagenham@libdems4london.org.uk>

MP raises plight of Tamils with Prime Minister

April 27, 2009 6:30 PM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP

Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston, last week lobbied both the Prime Minister and the EU over the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

She travelled to meet the EU External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Walder in Strasbourg, along with representatives from the Tamil community.

On her return to the UK the MP then met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown as part of a cross-party group of MPs to push for the British Government to take action to end the conflict.

Susan Kramer MP commented:

"The Tamil community in Kingston is desperately concerned about what is happening to civilians trapped in the fighting. They have no confidence that their people will be protected by the Sri Lankan government.

"We need an immediate ceasefire and peace talks, and we urgently need to get humanitarian aid and international observers into the area."

"People are dying every day in this conflict, and I will continue to push for our Government and the EU to take a strong position to bring the fighting to an end."

Sarah Ludford, Liberal Democrat MEP for London, who also attended the meeting with the Commissioner said:

"It is imperative that the EU stops its hands-off approach to this terrible conflict and humanitarian disaster in which both sides have committed atrocities and human rights abuses.

European foreign ministers meeting must focus on how the EU with the UN can lead the international community to secure a supervised pause in fighting, exit of civilians and aid agency access.

The EU must also make the Sri Lankan government understand that if the war ends in a bloodbath it will not be 'aid and arms' business-as-usual.

Only a political solution can deliver a truly secure future for Sri Lanka in which all individuals are guaranteed equality and protection from discrimination."