Tamil Justice

The Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Government, in contravention of the agreement they made with the Govt of India on 24 June 2009 (http://meaindia.nic.in/cgi-bin/db2www/meaxpsite/coverpage.d2w/coverpg?sec=pb&filename=pressbriefing/2009/06/24pb01.htm), has once again blocked the humanitarian relief from the Tamil diaspora. We are awaiting details of the incident.

The humanitarian relief aboard the MV Captain Ali was unloaded and handed over to the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) for transport to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) on 5 July 2009.

The humanitarian relief was thoroughly searched by Indian Police and Customs using metal detectors and “sniffer” dogs as it was unloaded. Indian Customs cleared the cargo and the two passengers aboard the ship were allowed to leave the ship at 3:30AM 5 July 2009.

The humanitarian relief was packed (“stuffed”) into 27 containers and on 6 & 7 July the 27 containers were loaded aboard the MV Cap Colorado (IMO number: 9143104, Flag/Nationality: Malaysia;Oowner: Anglo Eastern Ship Management).

The MV Cap Colorado sailed for Colombo, Sri Lanka at 10:00 AM and is due to berth in Colombo in the early morning of 9 July 2009.

The MV Cap Colorado is carrying 27 containers from the Indian Red Cross Society (handed over by Mercy Mission as per the instructions of the Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on 24 June 2009) and over 300 from other commercial shippers.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTRY STATEMENT 24 JUNE 2009:
“I also requested the delegation that as a humanitarian gesture, the Sri Lankan Government allow the ship Captain Ali to off load the relief items on board meant for IDPs in Northern Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan delegation kindly agreed to our suggestion and these would now be routed to Sri Lanka through the Indian Red Cross.“
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna
New Delhi
24 June, 2009

Mercy Mission is pleased that the MV Captain Ali berthed at Chennai Port at 19:25 (Indian Time) on 2 July 2009 and unloading of the humanitarian relief commenced at 07:00 on 3 July. The unloading is expected to take 36 hours as the Indian Customs is checking each pallet with metal detectors and sniffer dogs. Persons on board have stated that the following have boarded and inspected the crew and/or cargo: Customs, ‘Intelligence’, Immigration, Police, and the ‘Bomb Squad’.

After customs clearance the relief will be handed over to the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) who will in turn send it on to Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) for distribution to the internment camps in the North of the Island.

Read full press release here.

Visit official Mercy Mission website - www.vannimission.org

Sunday 28 June: Still awaiting permission from Port authorities in to unload in Chennai
NEW videos from the MERCY MISSION ship:
Click here for Uthayan interview [8am 25 June]
Click here for Kristjan interview [8am 25 June]
Click here to read official press release by Mercy Mission team here.

With great relief and joy, we informed you a few days ago of the news that Sri Lanka had agreed to allow the Mercy Mission to off-load its contents (food, aid and relief material sent by Tamil diaspora to their loved ones in the Vanni).
However, we have been informed that
“As of Friday evening (26 June 2009) Mercy Mission has yet to be formally notified of the 24 June decision and statement by the Indian and Sri Lankan governments. There has also not been ANY movement at the ground level and the MV Captain Ali remains anchored five (5) miles off the Port of Chennai.

The situation on the ship is now critical. The crew and passengers have been onboard for 51 days without respite and in very harsh, stressful conditions. The passengers, Uthayanan Thavarajasingam and Kristjan Gudmundsson have formally requested that the authorities allow them to disembark and to take the next flight to London and Iceland.”
Click here to read official press release by Mercy Mission team here.

Reuters – Sri Lanka allows Tamil aid ship to dock, says India

Hindustan Times – Sri Lanka agrees to allow relief ship

Sri Lanka has agreed to allow a ship to off-load its contents, relief material sent by Tamil diaspora, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in New Delhi on Wednesday after meeting a delegation from the island.

Krishna told reporters he had urged Sri Lanka to give permission to the relief ship as a “humanitarian gesture”.

“The Sri Lankan delegation kindly agreed to our suggestion and the ship would now be routed to Sri Lanka through the Indian Red Cross,” he said.

Times of India – India’s intervention sought to unload Tamil relief ship

Times of India – Ship moves out of Indian waters

Times of India – Lanka turns away ship carrying aid for displaced Tamils

Times Now – Stranded MV Ali’s crew pleads for help

Click here to read previous post on Mercy Mission

The Statesman - Relief-laden ship snubbed by Lanka anchored off Chennai

Chennai, 20 JUNE: Vanangaman, the ship with relief material for the internally displaced people in Sri Lankan is anchored off the shores of Chennai after it was turned away from Sri Lanka a few days back.

Tamilnadu chief minister, Mr M Karunanidhi has asked the Centre to intervene on the issue on humanitarian grounds so that the relief material can be off-loaded in Sri Lanka to be disbursed among the Tamils living in camps in Sri Lanka.

The ship left the shores of Britain in April. It was loaded with dry rations, medicines and other relief material donated by the Tamil diaspora across Europe.

Notable among those who contributed and supported the effort was the Slum Dog Millionaire songstress, Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam.

While the DMK chief wrote to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh yesterday, one of the DMK ministers, Mr Ponmudy was rushed to New Delhi to press the Centre for the same. Mr Ponmudy met the minister for external affairs, Mr S M Krishna today. Union minister, Mr A Raja, accompanied him during the meeting.

Meanwhile, the arrival of refugees into India from Sri Lanka continued on Friday too. Mr Sathyaseelan and his wife landed at Rameswaram stating that they have fled a camp for displaced people in Sri Lanka which was functioning in a deplorable manner.

Another development that has outraged the Eelam Tamil diaspora is a reported e-mail addressed to Tamil Canadians by a Sinhalese calling himself a consultant to those on the look-out for news of their relatives in Sri Lanka. Promising to find their relatives among the IDPs at a registration fee of 25 US$, the consultant, Mr L Jude Perera has stated that they were in touch with the government officers, law authorities, security personnel in Sri Lanka and can do the needful upon payment of money for making SMSs, telephone calls and lawyers fees and travel.

The e-mail reportedly asks: “Do you want to build a monument for your loved ones? If you want to organise a thanks giving mass for lost family friends/relatives or another person of any race or build a monument please let us have the details.”

The Tamil diaspora spread across the globe have been active on the internet where they are constantly are on the look out for news of the death of their relatives or friends in Sri Lanka.

Click here to read previous posts on Mercy Mission

Reuters India – Sri Lanka turns back aid ship that entered illegally

Telegraph.co.uk – Sri Lanka rejects British Tamil aid ship

Click here to read press release

AFP – Sri Lanka turns back Tamil aid ship

Hindustan Times – Sri Lanka turns back Tamil aid ship

UPI – Sri Lanka: No weapons on Tamil aid ship

EarthTimes – Sri Lanka turns away ship carrying aid for displaced Tamils

BBC – Sri Lanka navy confirms aid cargo

AFP – SLanka seizes ship with supplies for war-hit civilians

Sri Lanka’s navy Thursday seized a foreign-owned ship loaded with medical, food and other supplies for war-hit civilians, saying the vessel had entered its territorial waters illegally.

The supplies, arranged by supporters of the Tamil rebel cause, were loaded onto a ship in the English port of Ipswich in April — just weeks before the government declared victory in the ethnic conflict, a navy spokesman said.

“We have seized the vessel and we are bringing it ashore now,” Captain D.K. Dassanayake said, adding the crew offered no resistance when the navy boarded the vessel 140 kilometres (87 miles) west of Sri Lanka.
The ship, the Captain Ali, was carrying hundreds of tonnes of food, medicine and other supplies for Tamil civilians caught up in the decades-long conflict, he said.

Click here to read article

Independent – Sri Lanka Navy halts UK Tamils’ aid

eTaiwan – Sri Lanka stops aid ship sent by overseas Tamils

Hindu – Cargo vessel seized off Colombo waters

ABC Online – Sri Lankan navy seizes Tamil supply ship

Click here to read previous posts on the Vanni Mission