Hunger strike unto Action

New Zealand Government should urge the United Nations to put pressure on the Sri Lankan Government for an immediate permanent ceasefire

Tamil Youth Organisation (New Zealand) has reached its third day of its continuous vigil at Aotea Square Queen Street Auckland. Demanding the New Zealand Government to urge the United Nations to insist on Sri Lankan Government to stop the war immediately and declare a permanent ceasefire.

Mr Pathmanathan Kandiah 49, has started a ‘Hunger Strike unto action’ since Monday the 27th April 2009 to request the New Zealand government to urge the United Nations to put pressure on Sri Lanka for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. New Zealand Tamil Community who is already frustrated by the Humanitarian catastrophe in Vanni Sri Lanka is very much anguished over his decision to go on hunger strike. We are extremely worried and feel powerless. We earnestly hope that New Zealand media will understand the plight of the civilians trapped in the conflict and the plea of Mr. Pathmanathan Kandiah. Thereby, he will be heard.

The death toll in this war since Jan 2009 was reported by the UN as 6,432 last week with 13,946 wounded. The tragedy will be manifold if the Sri Lankan armed forces enter the densely populated coastal strip of safety zone which is less than 10 sq km, which will begin within the next few hours according to credible reports.

Yesterday, 28th April 2009, Sri Lankan Government had said that they will not use any heavy weaponry like shelling, multi barrel motors and aerial bombing in this war, and within hours after saying this, they have shelled, bombed and attacked with multi barrel motors in to the so called “Safe Zone”. On the other hand, Sri Lanka is openly accepting the fact that they have been using the heavy weapons in the safety zone until yesterday. It should be noted that Defence Minister of Sri Lanka has continuously denied the LTTE’s and the International communities’ statement, that Sri Lanka is using the Heavy artillery and Ariel bombing.

Mr Pathmanathan Kandiah is requesting the NZ government to urge the United Nations:

* To put pressure on the Sri Lankan Government for an immediate ceasefire;

* To send Humanitarian Aids to the conflict zone with no delay;

* To pressure Sri Lanka to allow media and NGOs to the conflict zone to produce an unbiased statement and to monitor the safety of the civilians respectively.

ENDS

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