(Toronto) - Human Rights Watch expressed concern today about possible threats to Sri Lankan Tamil human rights advocates in Toronto following a public forum on child soldiers in Sri Lanka at the Scarborough Civic Center on December 12.
The forum drew some 250 members of the Sri Lankan Tamil community for a presentation of Human Rights Watch’s recent report on the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Sri Lanka by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Dozens of presumed LTTE supporters repeatedly disrupted the meeting with shouting and heckling. Some members of the audience took photographs and video of the participants.
Following the event, Human Rights Watch offices in both Toronto and New York received phone calls from apparent LTTE supporters threatening to expose the identities of local Tamils who had contacts with Human Rights Watch in a manner that would place them at risk.
“In light of past intimidation and violence by Tamil Tiger supporters against Toronto’s Sri Lankan Tamil community, these ominous calls to our offices give us real cause for concern,” said Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division. “We are confident the Canadian authorities will take appropriate action to investigate the matter and ensure the safety of the meeting’s participants.”
Human Rights Watch has reported the telephone calls to the Scarborough police.
