Tamil anger at new Sri Lankan envoy

Photo courtesy: Business Today

By Rebecca Thistleton | The Age
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Australia has approved the controversial appointment of a former naval commander as Sri Lanka's high commissioner, prompting Australia's Tamil community to accuse the government of protecting a war criminal.

Retired Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe was appointed as high commissioner to Australia on Friday.

Since learning of his nomination for the role earlier this year, Australia's Tamil community has lobbied the Gillard government to reject Admiral Samarasinghe in response to Sri Lanka's refusal to allow an international war crimes tribunal.
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Australian Tamil Congress spokeswoman Sam Pari said the Tamil community felt betrayed and disappointed as the appointment would give an accused war criminal diplomatic immunity.

Admiral Samarasinghe became Sri Lanka's navy commander after the 26-year war against the Tamil Tigers ended in 2009.

While no allegations of war crimes were made against him, the United Nations released a report on April 25 recommending investigations into alleged war crimes.

Federal MP John Murphy, who opposed Admiral Samarasinghe's appointment, told Parliament in February he was an ''entirely inappropriate person'' to be Sri Lanka's high commissioner to Australia.

Mr Murphy said he was representing the Sri Lankan community and the admiral's involvement with the war was concerning as he was director-general of naval operations when innocent civilians were targeted. The war is believed to have cost up to 100,000 lives.

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