Association d’aide aux migrants Thank you Madame Co-Chair. Respect for human rights and treatment of minorities as human beings are the basic necessities to frame structures towards building harmonious societies. The atrocities committed by the armed forces and the free-for-all looting of Tamil resources in the north and east of Sri Lanka is immeasurable. After the conclusion of the war, the Tamils hoped for peace to dawn on their land and a new wave of progress as promised by the then President. The high security zones on Tamil public land have been converted into resorts, military land, farms, hotels, and even a factory. Buddhist monks installed statutes on lands belonging to the Tamils and Muslims, and prevented them from reclaiming them from state authorities as part of a colonization plan. Though the previous government’s claims of returning land grabbed by the Sri Lankan armed forces from innocent Tamil farmers and fisherman, the affected communities have disputed these claims. The struggle of ordinary people continues in places like the [inaudible] fishing hamlet, where the displaced have been waging a peaceful struggle under an autocratic state, which is in no mood to return the land to its rightful owners. In this context, only recognition of the right to selfdetermination of the Tamils and other minority groups around the world would pave the way for more social and economic inclusion. The UN must seriously look into this matter. Thank you.