Although known for its tremendous natural beauty, Sri Lanka has long borne a burden of violence. Following a civil war that lasted nearly three decades, sectarian divides have continued to grow to the point where 2018 saw officials declare a state of emergency in the central district of Kandy. I […]
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Westminster Hall debate on Tamil rights in Sri Lanka
Yesterday I attended a Westminster Hall debate on Tamil Rights in Sri Lanka where the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the following: …there is now a Tamil leader of the opposition for the first time in more than 30 years. We have a real window of opportunity […]
Read MorePM’s statement on Sri Lanka calls for Independent Inquiry
Yesterday, the Prime Minister made a statement to the House of Commons on his recent attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka. He took the opportunity to reiterate why he felt it was right to attend the Commonwealth meeting and to better understand the situation of […]
Read MoreSupporting Wycombe’s Tamil Community
On Saturday, I joined the local Tamil community for their annual Tamil School concert. It was one of the most joyful events I have attended. The children were hard working, talented and happy, the parents were proud and the teachers dedicated. It was a treat. We are more usually in touch […]
Read MoreHuman rights in Kashmir and Sri Lanka
This week, I sought and secured a debate on human rights in Kashmir which is to take place on the afternoon of Thursday 15 September, in the House of Commons. I was joined before Parliament’s Backbench Business Committee by Jason McCartney MP, Andrew Griffiths MP, Denis MacShane MP and Nic Dakin […]
Read MoreSri Lanka update
A number of my constituents have contacted me about the situation in Sri Lanka and the allegations of war crimes. I wrote to Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, seeking more information. He recently replied as follows: The UK wants to see lasting peace […]
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