Send US forces to Lanka, Tamils tell US

Accusing Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse of abdicating his responsibility to save civilians in the restive north, Tamil Americans have asked United States President Barack Obama to send his forces to the strife-torn nation to save the lives of innocent people.

"This is pure and simple genocide. We are asking the Obama administration to intervene to save the Tamils of Sri Lanka by sending its army there. The Rajapaksa government has abdicated its responsibility to protect its Tamil citizens," alleged Elias Jeyarajah, leader of the protesting Tamil Americans.

A large number of Tamil Americans, carrying banners, posters and a life size poster of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader V Prabharakaran, held a day-long demonstration and shouted slogans in front of the White House.

"We are asking for unilateral action by the 'Coalition of the Willing' led by the US to intervene in Sri Lanka to stop the genocide that is going on right now," he said.

Stating that thousands of innocent Tamil civilians were being killed by the Sri Lankan government, Jeyarajah said that this is the time and place to enforce the 'Responsibility to Protect' provision of the United Nations.

"We urge all other countries including Britain and France to join this 'Coalition of the Willing'," he said, adding that civilized nations have the responsibility to protect citizens when they are subjected to a genocide.

The protestors also alleged that India was not coming forward to protect the Sri Lankan Tamils. "This is the reason why the Tamils world over are urging other major countries of the world to save and protect the innocent Tamils by sending their troops to Sri Lanka," Jeyarajah said.