SAV – Sozialistische Alternative (German section of the CWI) organised a protest outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in Berlin on Saturday 4 July, highlighting the appalling conditions of the internally displaced people (IDPs) held in World War II style detention camps.
Campaigners handed in a protest letter to the secretary at the High Commission. High Commission personell tried to persuade the protesters that the war is over and that their protest is pointless. They argued that there are no human rights problems in Sri Lanka. It was ridiculous as this 7 July marks the six month remembrance of the killing of the country’s leading journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, who predicted that he would be killed by government forces in an article he wrote prior to his brutal murder. Human rights organisations around the world have condemned the Sri Lankan government of human rights abuse and the appalling conditions at the camps.
The protesters communicated their anger and continued their protest. SAV expressed solidarity with all the oppressed and workers in Sri Lanka and will continue to support the fight for rights.