UK's Labour Party supports Sri Lankan Tamil cause

The UK’s main opposition Labour Party has supported Sri Lankan Tamil’s cause for right to self-determination, Tamil groups claimed here today. They said Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party supports the political struggle of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Corbyn had issued a video message and written statement yesterday marking the Tamil commemoration of the end to war in Sri Lanka in 2009.

The Labour Party also has reiterated its support for the full implementation of the UN Human Rights Councils resolution on Sri Lanka. Corbyn expressed solidarity to stand with the Tamil community in the search for truth, justice, accountability and reconciliation.

He said Tamils shouldered injustice for decades and had offered his thanks for the enormous contribution Tamils made to life in Britain. The Labour Party was seen as favourable to the Sri Lankan Tamils.

In 2009 the then British foreign minister David Miliband of the Labour Party and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner were accused of trying to influence the Sri Lankan government to stop the military offensive against the LTTE. They toured Sri Lanka in April 2009 a few weeks ahead of the end to the military victory.