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The scene on Parliament Square, as Tamil protestors maintain their demonstrations |
Tamil protests: ‘We’ll be here as long as it takes’
TAMIL protesters in Parliament Square have vowed to continue their round-the-clock demonstration, despite the Sri Lankan government declaring an end to the civil war.
And they have been undeterred by moves from the government to introduce emergency legislation to prevent permanent protests in the square.
Bharathy Mahwswaran, 17, has been at Parliament Square every day since the action began last month. She said: “If you are willing to be here for 45 days through the cold and pouring rain, there is nothing going to stop us.”
Miss Mahwswaran added that the position of the protesters has changed since the Sri Lankan government’s victory claim. They had previously been asking for a ceasefire to be imposed, but are now demanding that a two-state solution is implemented.
Another protester, Selvan Kulan, 32, defended clashes with the police which led to 10 arrests and injured 25 officers. He said: “We did not choose to do this, but were made to do it as it makes it angry that the world is not listening to us.”
Last week council leader Colin Barrow met with the police and the Mayor of London to try and draw up legislation which would ban overnight protests in the square.
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YOUR COMMENTS:
I've also read Mark Field's piece in West End Extra, and have been reflecting on this as well as what we've been seeing in Iran.
That strikes a chord as my father had settled there in the '70s, after retiring from GEC Overseas whilst on a major contract for the Shah's air force, and was caught by the 1979 revolution. He was largely untouched, in part (he always said) because his best friend's brother was a colonel in the secret police. And it didn't matter whether you are a shah or a mad mullah, you still needed a good secret police.
Which does bring me back to the case in point being a matter for making bad law. What is very clear - and the 'evenements' in Tehran, and other cities demonstrate, as does the recent report of the Inspector of onstabulary, that anything that fetters and strikes at the heart of the freedoms, with responsibility, for the people to peacably assemble, and demonstrate, must be regarded with suspect, and particularly motives, as in connection with Brian Haw.
The heart of London, and Westminster, is indeed home to many - not least the 6000 or so in Covent Garden, and wider in Soho and the West End as you well know.
The problems Mark cites for, say, Lowndes Square residents, and the litter etc., in and around Parliament Square, are writ large virtually every night across OUR neighbourhoods.
I see no real sign that politicians and bureaucrats local regional or national are prepared to do anything about these problems. Many are seeking to transfer, if possible, out of the area. At the same time many are still wanting to stay but in such overcrowded flats that it is impossible to find anywhere local for families.
And at the same time MPs and others are happy to pay high rates for either rented or bought appartments in and around the area - a studio or one bed flat with Shatesbury for example, goes from around 300-400 a week and up.
Our streets alleys and doorways are used every night as toilets. Gov't policies for 30 years, and council development policies, have encouraged more amd more bars clubs restaurants etc (I leave aside the need to protect and sustain the traditional pub that I have written to you before), all day and all night shopping, and more. The volumes of people coming in; the overcrowding of our streets; the intrusion into our pubs, the absence of local stores - all charmingly add to our sense of peaceful enjoyment.
I have sympathy with the cancer patient of the square - my own neighbours are elderly and suffer ill health - one being treated for cancer - but we are intimidated every day or night of the week, rather than occasionally (even by extended Tamil demonstrators), and there is no offer to help us, Essentially we are told that you live with it.
In the light of that I can see no justification in the gerrymandering proposed to impose even more dodgy, discretionary controls licenses and bans on what should be an essential right, with responsibility, to demonsrate especially outside the seat of the legislature, government, and elsewhere.
Dominic Pinto
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