"Save the Tamil children in Sri Lanka"; "Cricket Australia — don't play cricket in the Tamil killing field"; "Mr Rudd <197< condemn Sri Lanka for breaking the peace accords". These were some of the messages on placards and banners held at a picket of PM Kevin Rudd's Morningside office on September 23.
The protest, which involved thirty people from the Tamil-Australian community and supporters of justice for Tamils, highlighted the humanitarian disaster taking place in the Tamil regions of Sri Lanka.
In the name of "fighting terrorism", the Sri Lankan government and army have launched an offensive, forcing more than 200,000 Tamil civilians from their homes, and carpet bombing civilian areas.
During the picket, two Tamil community members met with a representative of the PM, highlighting three key demands.
First, that food, shelter and medicines must urgently get to the hundreds of thousands of displaced people who are living on the streets. A crucial aspect is a call for the Australian government to set up a "channel" allowing humanitarian aid to get to the Tamil community.
"At the moment, if we give money to any Tamil organisation in Sri Lanka, we are accused of 'supporting terrorism'", Professor Selvanathan, one of those in the meeting, explained. In 2007, two Australian-Tamils were arrested for "supporting terrorism" after allegedly sending tsunami relief funds to Tamil areas.
Secondly, there is a push for the return of the UN agencies and non-government organisations that were recently forced out of Sri Lanka.
"This is essential both so these humanitarian agencies can do their work, and so they can provide witness to the war", Krish Illungkoo explained. Without such witnesses, even graver atrocities could be perpetrated.
Finally, Rudd must put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to return to the peace accords initiated by Norway.