(1888PressRelease)
February 13, 2009 - WASHINGTON, DC – Last week eight Americans began a fast, renouncing all food in support of civilians under attack and languishing without basic necessities in Sri Lanka. The fast quickly received the attention of a Congressman’s office that contacted the State Department and requested that medical supplies be immediately sent to Sri Lanka. Two Senate offices released a statement decrying the escalating humanitarian crisis there urging the Sri Lankan government to allow access to the suffering population. These actions have energized these eight Americans, strengthening their resolve to fast for action. They remain fasting today. Since the fast begun, nearly 100 other Americans have pledged to fast for one meal in support.
Every meal they sacrifice represents 30 refugees trapped in the ravaged regions of Sri Lanka, and they will fast continuously until the more than 300,000 Tamil civilians who are under constant artillery and aerial onslaught are represented. Last week also witnessed sharply intensified attacks against Tamil civilians – the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed shock at attacks on another hospital, following multiple attacks against a different hospital last week Sunday. Local sources reported 5,000 shells were launched against this 20-sq mile region.
These young Americans are members of People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), a DC-based human rights organization dedicated to ending the genocide in Sri Lanka: Rosha Hebsur, a doctoral candidate for psychology in Arlington, VA; Brintha Jeyalingam, a recent graduate of Columbia University’s graduate program; Senthan Mahendrarasa, a junior at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH; Tasha Manoranjan, a recent graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC; Ahilan Sivaganesan, a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX; Arvind Suguness, a recent graduate of Ohio State University in Columbus, OH; Priya Suntharalingam, a junior at Winchester High School in MA; Sadena Thevarajah, a law student at Washington University – St. Louis in MO. Many of PEARL’s members have volunteered in Sri Lanka and are intimately connected to those endangered now. These eight are banding together with others around the globe to call for awareness and action to the devastation unfolding in Sri Lanka. Supporters can visit their “Starving for Peace” webpage at www.pearlaction.org/fast and pledge to sacrifice a meal to represent 30 refugees, sending a letter to inform their Congress members and reducing the length of time that the eight Americans remain without food.
PEARL is asking the U.S. government to provide desperately needed medical supplies and work toward a ceasefire now. PEARL is also asking President Obama to appoint a special envoy to promote peace talks to achieve a lasting, just political resolution to Sri Lanka’s 60-year-old conflict.
Media Contact:
Fabiola Fleuranvil of Blueprint Creative Group
Phone: (404) 437-0078
Email: Fabiola ( @ ) BlueprintCreativeGroup dot com
People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL)
Phone: (301) 805-2465
Web: www.PearlAction.org
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