The articles attached examine the legal basis of boycotting and suspending Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth.

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, USA, November 8, 2013 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is due to be held in Sri Lanka next week from November 15th-17th where world leaders will gather to discuss various topics. Sri Lanka has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons due to allegations of genocide and war crimes committed in 2009 in it's final stages of civil war where it was found that at least 40,000 civilians died in the hands of government forces in a matter of few months according to UN reports. There have been ongoing reports of mass human rights violations which require the attention of the international community and an international inquiry which has been promised by the UN in March 2014 if Sri Lanka does not bring those accountable for these war crimes to justice. The new documentary "No Fire Zone" made by the Nobel Peace Prize nominated team also adds to calls for an international inquiry.

The government of Canada has taken a strong stance on the issue with Prime Minister Harper boycotting the CHOGM due to the human rights violations and many other countries have been critical as well. In fact, British Prime Minister Cameron is attending the summit to demand an independent inquiry into the war crimes and if Sri Lanka does not comply, he has said that an international inquiry be held. Political parties in India have put extreme pressure on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to boycott the event and resolutions have been passed in Tamil Nadu State Assembly seeking the suspension of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth.

However, an intellectual argument of why Sri Lanka should be boycotted and suspended from the Commonwealth was not published until recently which offers reasonable, impartial, and legal arguments to policy makers and leaders worldwide. The article attached below was written by myself, Parasaran Rangarajan on October 19th, 2013. I am currently the Editor-in-chief for the International Law Journal of London and also work in the legal department of the Office of the Prime Minister in the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE). Through this article, I examine the legal implications of the human right violations with regards to established Commonwealth principles we cherish. My article "Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth" was used towards the publication prepared by the TGTE; "CHOGM 2013 Walking into Genocidal Sri Lanka, At What Cost To The Commonwealth?" which was released on November 7th, 2013. These two pieces serve as the foundation and examine the legal basis for boycotting Sri Lanka and suspending it from the Commonwealth citing previous cases where the organization has taken action based on violations of Commonwealth principles.

NOTE: The links to the article and the full booklet published by the TGTE are available below:

1) Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth - By Parasaran Rangarajan: http://share.pdfonline.com/62addb4661404684b84576d3dd0238d6/Commonwealth.pdf

2) CHOGM 2013 Walking into Genocidal Sri Lanka, At What Cost To The Commonwealth? - By Office of the Prime Minister (TGTE): http://www.tgte-us.org/pressrelease/CHOGM_2013_Booklet_by_TGTE.pdf

3) More information on the TGTE publication including events which are being held to release the booklet can be found at : http://world.einnews.com/pr_news/175427218/boycott-chogm-2013-walking-into-genocidal-sri-lanka-at-what-cost-to-the-commonwealth-tgte

Imagine a scenario a few years down the line where Syrian President Assad meets and greets the world leaders who in turn embrace him and no action has been taken by the international community to hold those accountable for violations of international law occurring today. Well that is exactly what is taking place in Sri Lanka today as thousands have been massacred, even more remain missing, and the rule of law has been pushed aside as the country drifts towards authoritarian rule under the Rajapaksa regime.

Regardless of the politics surrounding this issue, as a people with moral conscious and as a people who seek to further the ideals of human rights enshrined in international legislation, we must act to preserve the very basis of Commonwealth principles by acting on Sri Lanka now.

Parasaran Rangarajan
International Law Journal of London
6504380139
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