All of the Commonwealth needs to follow the examples of Canada and India-and boycott this year's CHOGM

Readers,

I hope you have had the time to watch the Channel 4 Documentary 'No Fire Zone' exploring the human rights abuses by the Sri Lankan Army and the Sri Lankan Government, especially its President, Mahindra Rajapaska. These were first exposed in detail by Wikileaks cables.

As a result of the exposure of said human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (even though in my opinion his own record on democratic and human rights is bad and getting worse) and Indian Prime Minister Mammohan Singh have decided to boycott the 2013 CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) which is due to be held in Sri Lanka.

Although they are right to boycott, their actions will not prove all that useful unless all Prime Ministers of all Commonwealth nations (i.e. David Cameron, Tony Abbott et al.) follow suit and boycott the summit, to send this message to Mr. Rajapaska: No platform for human rights abusers, anywhere!

It is important for us to remember how important democracy, peace, and human rights are to a modern, fair and just society, and how we must not in good conscience condone or tolerate abuses of either of these values by any leader of any nation.

Alan.

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