Campaigners have called on the Mayor of Harrow, Kareema Marikar,\u00a0to resign after she was pictured with senior military figures during a visit to Sri Lanka, Harrow\u00a0Times\u00a0reported on Monday.<\/p>\n
Councillor Kareema Marikar visited the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, Mahesh Senanayake, and Brigadier Priyanka Fernando during a trip last year.<\/p>\n
She posted pictures of her meetings \u2013 in which she is wearing the mayoral chain \u2013 on social media alongside messages praising the soldiers for their service.<\/p>\n
However,\u00a0Harrow Times said the members of the Tamil community in Harrow are upset at this representation, given the army officials\u2019 involvement in the Sri Lankan civil war.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were particularly disappointed given that Brigadier\u00a0Fernando was found guilty of violating the Public Order Act when he made a throat cutting gesture at protestors \u2013 many of whom were Tamil \u2013 outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
A petition with 49 signatures was handed to Harrow Council calling on Councillor\u00a0Marikar to step down from her role.<\/p>\n
It said: \u201cMost Tamil residents in Harrow escaped the war and came to the UK as refugees, and they still carry the scars of that war which killed many of their kith and kin in their former home country.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe Ms.\u00a0Marikar\u2019s judgement on this matter was very poor and her actions were offensive to the Tamil community she represents in Harrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was extremely upsetting to learn that Ms.\u00a0Marikar, who represents a large number of Tamils in Harrow and claims to have a detailed knowledge of Sri Lanka, chose to publish photographs with these senior military officials.\u201d<\/p>\n
Councillor Marikar, who was elected as mayor in May, hails from Sri Lanka herself. She has lived in Harrow in\u00a0London for 28 years and has served as a councillor since 2010.<\/p>\n
The mayor’s office has been contacted by Harrow Times for comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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