jaffna university students unions public letter to world student community

[teron]

I received this letter by email from my friends have a look on it guys. this letter is being forwarded to world student associations and political leaders around the world by Tamil students
:confused:

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/7103/noticeln1.jpg

[teron]

and this letter through email as well from TYO Australia




Dear All,

TYO Australia is greatly concerned by the abductions and death threats
targeting the Tamil students of Jaffna.

Attached below is a request from the Student's Union of the University
of Jaffna (English translation of original letter), a letter of
support issued by TYO Australia and a summary of a report by the Asian
Human Rights Commission.

TYO Australia has been approached by many concerned members regarding
the situation faced by our brethren in Jaffna - students who should
have the freedom we are priveledged with, being deprived of their
basic human rights.

We invite all members to contact us with any ideas to help create
awareness, amongst both the Tamil and non-Tamil Australian community,
about this situation.

Regards,
TYO, Australia
--
"Our History. Our People. Our Future..."

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Appendix I - English translations sent from Jaffna of the original
letters of request from the Student's Union of the University of Jaffna

Terror unleashed on Jaffna students

We believe that we have to tell you what's going on here. Three
students of the university were shot dead on 11.08.2006. Four others
were abducted and three were released later after being beaten up
severely. So far we don't know the whereabouts or what happened to the
fourth student. One student is being kept in Welikade prison.

Many school students have also been abducted, tortured and either
released or murdered afterwards. Our condemnation of these atrocities
or appeals to i) release the abducted students and ii) stop these
atrocities altogether have been falling on deaf ears. Furthermore
there has been severe media censorship preventing the circulation of
news i) within, and ii) to get outside, the peninsula. We are drifting
towards a dreadful future.

It's up to you to raise voice on our behalf to inform the
international community. Your voices are more likely to reach the
international community. We plead with you to do your utmost to save
our lives. We also ask you to inform the students so that they will
raise their voices for us.

Yours sincerely
Secretary
University Students' Union
10.05.07
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Appendix II - Letter of support issued by TYO, Australia

15 May 2007

Tamil Youth Organisation, Australia is deeply concerned by the death
threats issued to 270 students of Jaffna University. There have been
reports of four students, aged 17 to 18 years, being abducted from
their homes on 4th May 2007. Strong evidence suggests the abductors to
be members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. This comes amidst a myriad
of abuses, death threats and violent attacks aimed at Tamil students,
conducted by the Sri Lankan Army.

The Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) recently held a protest
demanding the release of the abducted students. The Jaffna Technical
College has since participated in the protest.

Since these peaceful non-violent actions of defiance, death threats
have been circulated by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, naming 270 staff
and students. Named individuals have been given a final notice to
cease their activities or face a death sentence. These come soon after
a previous notice that had targeted Principals and some students alone.

Tamil Youth Organisation, Australia shows full support to the students
and staff of the academic institutes in Jaffna. Their actions of
defiance are non-violent, and do not break any laws or cause anyone
harm.

The Sri Lankan Armed Forces have yet again attempted to crush the
rights of the Tamils. They have forced fear into those who have shown
resilience. It is not just the lives of the students and teaching
staff of Jaffna, being threatened by the Sri Lankan Government, but
the basic human rights these individuals possess.

Tamil Youth Organisation, Australia demands the immediate release of
the abducted students, the cessation of abductions, killings and
violence targeting Tamil students, and the constant threats and
harassments faced by the Tamil teachers and students of Sri Lanka.

Tamil Youth Organisation, Australia also reaffirms its support to the
Jaffna students in their protest against the actions of the Sri Lankan
Armed Forces, and strongly condemns their many discriminatory attacks
on Tamils. Their violations are not going unnoticed, and the support
for the Tamil victims are growing day by day.

Tamil Youth Organisation,
Australia
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Appendix III - Summary of a report by the Asian Human Rights Commission

"The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from a
reliable source that a number of students of the University of Jaffna
have been murdered, arbitrarily arrested and disappeared since August
2006. Due to the security situation some classes had been cancelled
until 19 February 2007. It has been allegedly reported that military
officers were involved in two murders of the university students and
the disappearance of the other two students. None of the cases of
student victims have been investigated by the police and no
perpetrators have been brought to justice so far. The students of the
university and the family members of the victims are living under
extremely difficult conditions."

For further details, please visit
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2270/

[teron]

Melbourne Tamils responded to this letter .they organized a rally in Melbourne city today:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

http://www.mandaitivu.com/images/stories/mel_prot/prot1.jpg
http://www.mandaitivu.com/images/stories/mel_prot/prot2.jpg
http://www.mandaitivu.com/images/stories/mel_prot/prot3.jpg
http://www.mandaitivu.com/images/stories/mel_prot/prot4.jpg
http://www.mandaitivu.com/images/stories/mel_prot/prot5.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522009.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522010.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522011.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522012.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522013.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522014.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522015.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522016.jpg
http://www.eelampage.com/d/p/2007/MAY/20070522017.jpg

[teron]

Tamil Australians protest Sri Lanka rights abuses
Several hundred Tamil Australians protested in front of the Victoria Parliament in Melbourne Tuesday, highlighting the escalating number of abductions and killings of Tamils in the NorthEast and in Colombo, sources in Melbourne said. The protest started at 2:30 p.m and lasted for three hours, attendees said.

Protesters carried placards with photographs of those disappeared and Tamil politicians killed, and shouted slogans condemning the Sri Lanka security forces for committing gross human rights violations.

Protesters also condemned the recent abductions of high school students in Jaffna, and the disruption of educational activities in the Jaffna Campus, widely blamed on the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the SLA-backed paramilitaries, attendees to the protest said.

The protest organized by the Victoria Eelathamil Sangam was attended by several representatives of Australian political parties, Trade Union representatives, student representatives and other Tamil professionals, leading activists said.

http://www.goodsrilanka.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1179915868&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&