Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth

I first spoke about the problems in Sri Lanka in this very Chamber, during the debate about the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on human rights. Since then, things have got worse not better, and, if action had been taken then, it would have saved thousands of lives. Thousands of people have been maimed and tens of thousands have been made homeless. The position has simply got worse. Contrary to what the Sri Lankan Government say, I do not hold a brief for the LTTE, but I do for the Tamil people—the innocent women, children and old folk who have been bombarded by the Government and, for that matter, penned in by the LTTE and not allowed to escape. I surveyed the Tamil people who live in my constituency, and what came out loud and clear was their fear and worry for the relatives in Tamil areas whom they are unable to contact. I am not going to go on about all the humanitarian problems, because my hon. Friends have described them graphically and far better than I could; save to say, we should recognise the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations. Its brief yesterday recorded the fact that a second ICRC worker had been killed by shelling—the second in less than three months. What amazes me is the attitude of the Sri Lankan Government, who say, "You're either with us or against us, and if you're against us, look out." I mentioned earlier in an intervention that I had been badly libelled by the Sri Lankan Government on their website, but unfortunately I cannot take any legal action against them. I raised the matter with the Speaker, but he has no powers to take action against them. I hope that my hon. Friend the Minister, in replying to the debate, will make it clear that he will be taking these issues up with the Sri Lankan high commission to stop Members of Parliament being subject to such abuse and libels, because I know that I am not the only one. All we are doing is standing up for humanitarian causes. I am concerned about the Sri Lankan Government's attitude towards my right hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Des Browne), who was put forward by the UK Government as our special representative to try to broker progress. I am afraid that I have to inject a slight party political point here, because I have seen the reported remarks of the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox), who seems to be endorsing wholeheartedly the Sri Lankan Government's campaign against the Tamil areas. I hope that the Conservative party spokesman will dissociate himself from his party's Front Bencher's remarks, which are unfortunate to say the least and are, at worst, encouraging this genocide. We must have a common front in favour of humanitarian relief and a ceasefire, and we need real progress to try to sort these problems out. We need a ceasefire and I hope that our Government will maintain the pressure in that regard. We need access for humanitarian relief from both non-governmental organisations and Governments. Most importantly of all, we have to recognise the underlying political cause of what is going on and what has been the problem for more than 25 years—indeed, going back to when Sri Lanka, which was then Ceylon, gained its independence from the British Empire. The fact remains that no political solution has so far been offered to the just demands of the Tamil people for self-determination. They are entitled to have their say in their own future, but the Sri Lankan Government have denied them that consistently, ever since the foundation of the state. That has, ultimately, led to the creation of the LTTE and its campaign against the Sri Lankan Government.