UK Labor leader condemned for omitting Sinhala community from New Year message

Apr 15, London: The Sinhala community in Britain has strongly criticized the UK Opposition Labor Party Leader Edward Miliband for wishing only the Tamils for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year that was celebrated Tuesday while the Prime Minister David Cameron extended his greetings to both Sinhala and Tamil communities .

Miliband issuing a message said the Labor Party has always been a friend of the Tamil community in Britain.

"The Labour Party has always been a friend of the Tamil community and will continue to be so, and we will continue to push for the full and independent, international investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. It's something I raised with President Sirisena when I met him and we will continue to push this forward, we will continue to advocate for your cause," Miliband said.

"We in the Labour Party know our responsibility to the Tamil community. So let me reiterate my wishes for a happy new year and I look forward to working with the Tamil community in the months and years ahead," Miliband said further.

British Prime Minister David Cameron however appreciated both communities and said New Year is also a time to remember the "fantastic" contribution Tamil and Sinhalese communities make to Britain.

Cameron said he offered President Maithripala Sirisena his support for the steps the Sri Lankan government has begun to take to address the issues of the past.

Mr. Cameron expressed hope that this New Year will bring communities closer together in helping to heal the wounds of the past.

President of the British-Sri Lanka Forum Janaka Alahapperuma told BBC Sandeshaya that Milliband has made an opportunistic statement with the hope of securing Tamils' votes to come to power.

Alahapperuma said the Sinhala community vehemently condemns the Labor Leader's statement as an opportunistic, unwise, imprudent statement.

He further said that Miliband, who is to contest Britain's election as the prime ministerial candidate of the Labor party, made the statement mainly for political mileage.