to issue any visas to potential refugees.
This policy was applied after Leon Brittan, the nounced on 29 May that in SULLIC despite all being Sri holders of Lankans.
Commonwealth Jassports, would require visas the High Commission belore entering bntain. The High Commission no CenTell COH firms that this amounts to total on Tamil refugees entering the This ban is totally contrary to United Nations conventions to which the Kingdom signatory The Tor! government's flouting of the convention - the imposition of Visas on justified Tensees was on the basis that it was safe for amis to return trom Sri Lanka.
However Sri Lanka increasingly showing that contention is false In the last weeks in the eastern province OI the more than 15,000 Tamils have fled their homes for the jungle OI refugee camps in Muslim areas. Over dozen villages in the been razed to the ground • security forces alongside armed Sinhala vigilantes. (The Sri Lankan government is encouraging 250,000 of its supporters arm themselves and settle in the north east the island.)
But Brittan is not only aware of these facts. The British government is ac tually providing aid to the Jaywardene government's campaign of terror. DESPITE NEW evidence of genocide against the Tamil-speaking population of Sri Lanka, the British government are persisting in refusing entry into Britain for refugees from the island. Since 31 May the British High Commission in Sri Lanka have refused There are 3000 soldiers 900-1200 navy personel currently occupying the Tamil speaking areas of the island today, tempting to crush the armed struggle being waged by the Tamil guerilla organisations. As in Central America, the imperialist powers are providing covert aid for the government's war against the guerillas.
The countries most heavily involved the counter-insurgency opera tions are the US, Israel and American Israeli intelligence agencies ed in training units of the governme forces. but have also been involved in field operations, leading artillery units in bombardments of Tamil areas.
The government has been involved in Ine Wraining of the most feared of all the governthe police commandos. In device which is now well known regiment members are given leave to work in politically sensitive areas 'ex'-SAS al c deployed all over the not just in Sri Lanka, but Gulf stalks other regions where the : British govern ment wants to butress regimes al the least political cost to itself.
Sri Lanka is a vital part of imperialist strategy the South Asia region. Under the • UNP government of JR Jaywardene, becoming a base for Us becoming a base loI communications military operations. In ad amon me government trying crush the previousiv powertul trade union movement the island to allow to OCCUNC paradise for multi-nationals.
The UNP government faces two main obstacles in its drive to carry through its project. The first is the militant struggle of the people now in its ninth year. The second is the predominantly Sinhala labour movement.
started to turn up the heat the labour move ment. Martial law now effectively exists throughout the country. Increasing numbers of arrests are be ing made in the south, with Jaywardene accusing 'Marxist groups' as being behind the unrest.
Untortunate v the ma. jority of the labour move ment still remain opposec to the struggle of the Tami people.
Only organisations like the Socialist Workers Par, the Sri Lankan section the Fourth Interna tional, fully sup ported the struggle of the and mad their defence the chief priority of the whole Sr Lankan working class. In order to carry militarist policies against the Tamil speaking people the UNP government has sought to intensify repressive measures against the critics of their policy amongst the Sinhalese In Britain the campaign to defend the Tamils strength. with public meetings being organised north south London. meetings will protes against the atrocities the action of the Tor government in nast cor laborating in the terror and then refusing refuge 10 its victims.
For more information contact the Tamil Refugee Action Group at 52 , Acre Lane, Brixton SW2 or te 01-737 4144.