Sri Lankan government is suspected of creating problems for Tamil supporting Tamil MP’s

By Ranjan Perera

(April 26, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Some of the leading British parliamentarians are expressing concerns that the Government of Sri Lanka is letting loose a campaign against the London based Labour Party candidates for their support for the Tamil groups in the UK.

Subtle and open campaign is being let loose against these candidates in various ways. The overall intention of the campaign channelled through the High Commission is said to help the Conservative Party in the election. Whether the Shadow Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Liam Fox’s recent visit to Sri Lanka is influencing the effort is not known.

The London Borough elections are scheduled with the General Election on the 6 May 2009. Many Sri Lankan candidates are contesting the local government elections whilst few are contesting the general election on independent tickets.

Significant of the pressure is felt in the leading boroughs north of the Thames River where Sri Lankan’s are living in large numbers. Some of the once pro-LTTE person’s are taking positions with the opposition parties to campaign against the sitting MP’s. In certain wards in Harrow, Brent and Ealing they have joined the opposition parties and contesting election.

A group calling themselves Tamils for Conservatives said to be backed by the Sri Lankan High Commission has opened offices in Harrow and Newham and are campaigning heavily for the Tories. It is unclear whether funding and spending of this group is incorporated into the election cost of the Tory party and officially declared.

An independent candidate Jannen Vamadeva, said to be connected to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London is contesting Brent North as independent candidate to undermine the Tamil votes for Barry Gardiner MP.

Jannen too is taking a very hard-line against the sitting MP. In the Brent North about 5,000 Tamil votes are registered and is an important stake for any party to gain the support of the Tamils. According to sources placing Jannen as candidate is to fracture the Tamil vote bank.