Sri Lanka accuses 2 London mayoral candidates of pro-LTTE stance

Sri Lanka today accused two key candidates for the mayoralty of London of showing support to pro-LTTE organisations in the UK to garner Tamil vote for elections.

Ken Livingstone the former mayor and the labour party candidate at today’s election has promised the historic Trafalgar Square, or some other prestigious London venue, for the celebration of Tamil Day on May 18 which is the anniversary of the defeat of the LTTE’s armed separatist campaign in 2009, a government website statement said.

"I want to work with the British Tamil forum and every year we can give Trafalgar Square to the Tamil community of London to organise an event like this," Livingstone is quoted as saying at a Tamils for Labour meeting organised by the separatist pro-LTTE groups in East London.

Livingstone’s rival the incumbent and Conservative candidate Boris Johnson has also appealed to the Tamil vote through pro-LTTE groups.

In his speech, Johnson said "London is home to tens of thousands of British Tamils, who are an integral part of our community in London and around the country. Their contribution to life in the capital, particularly through business creation, food and music is greatly valued by all of us"·

In 2009 the pro-LTTE Tamils carried out prolonged sit-in protests against the military operation to defeat LTTE. The demonstrations continued for 43-days.

Sri Lanka has accused the two major political parties in Britain for playing the Tamil card to garner votes and encouraging the pro-LTTE diaspora to conduct extensive propaganda campaign targeting the Sri Lankan government over human rights issues to remain in their countries of domicile.

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