Elliot Colburn, MP for Carshalton and Wallington and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) has urged the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to investigate the arrest of TNPF MP Selvarajah Kajendren.
As Chair of the APPG for Tamils, I am deeply concerned about the reports of Tamil MP, Mr Kajendran, being subjected to brute force and arrest by Sri Lankan Police. I urge the FCDO to investigate and raise with Sri Lankan officials.
— Elliot Colburn MP (@ElliotColburn) May 23, 2023
Kajendren was arrested earlier today alongisde eight other TNPF members whilst they were protesting against the illegally constructed Buddhist vihara in Thaiyiddy, Jaffna which has been built on occupied land.
Colburn stated that he was “deeply concerned” by the arrest and urged the FCDO to “investigate and raise with Sri Lankan officials”.
The Tissa Rajamaha Vihara in Thaiyiddy was built last month under the protection of Sri Lanka’a military and police. Locals have expressed their concerns about the new vihara which forms part of the state’s ongoing Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland.