In the midst of this appalling catastrophe, local people continue to work for peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. You can help them by giving money, by lobbying your MP and the international community, contacting the media.
1. Lobby your government (directly your MP, but also NGOs, church leaders and media) to immediately suspend the IMF loan to the Government of Sri Lanka, and if you are in Europe , to suspend the trade preference agreement.
Only this pressure will show the Government that the international community isnt just saying one thing but meaning another. It will also empower the moderates in the Sinhalese community.
2. Lobby the Japanese government. Sri Lanka ’s key donor and closest partner in the regionJapan has powerful political and economic influence over the Sri Lankan government and a swing vote at the UN Security Council, which up until now has turned a blind eye to this mounting catastrophe.
Go to http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_the_bloodbath to send a message to the Japanese Foreign Minister, who is deciding his government’s next steps. Japan cares about its international reputation and a flood of messages from abroad would encourage them to act. If Japan moves then the Sri Lankan government will be forced to immediately respond to protect civilians.
Click on this link /peacebuilders/sri-lanka/ to find out about the work of local peacebuilders in Sri Lanka.
