Tamil Youth Organisation New Zealand (TYONZ) meets the killing of Jaffna District Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Kiddinan Sivanesan in a claymore attack, on March 6th, with great sadness.Mr Sivanesan was killed by claymore mines placed by the Sri Lankan Army's Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) on the A9 road. The attack that took place in the afternoon was targeted at Mr Sivanesan while he was returning to his place of residence in Mallaavai after attending a parliamentary session in Colombo. Also killed in the attack was his driver, father of one, Periyannan Maheswararajah, 27. An 11-year-old boy, Arulnaathan Lujithnathan, cycling on A9 road was also injured.

Mr Sivanesan death follows the killing of two of his colleagues- MP Joseph Pararajasingham was killed in December 2005 and MP Raviraj was killed in November 2006. All three cases have been attributed to the Sri Lankan Army and Army-backed paramilitaries or security forces.

Mr Sivanesan is survived by his wife and four children.TYONZ would like to join the course of condemnation voiced by the Tamil Diaspora throughout the world.
The democratic process in Sri Lanka takes a nosedive with the death of every elected Tamil representative. These representatives are the lone voice of justice in a war that has seen the Tamil population in Sri Lanka subjected to genocide.

TYONZ urges the New Zealand government, to follow in the Norwegian government's footsteps and condemn this attack on the democratic rights of the Tamil people and to hold the Sri Lankan government responsible for its actions. Such deaths cannot any longer be met by muted silence. The international community MUST take action.
TYONZ feels it is irresponsible for the international community to preach the importance of a democratic and peaceful solution in Sri Lanka while at the same time not condemning the acts of harm against democratically elected representatives.

The Tamil representation is being killed one by one and we urge the New Zealand government to take a stand and protect democratic rights in Sri Lanka.

Nirupa G
Media Liaison
Tamil Youth Organization New Zealand