By Colombo Telegraph –
“We note that the elected representatives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has engaged with the Government of Sri Lanka for the past one year, in dialogue to find a durable, and dignified political solution to the National Question. Such resolution must necessarily alter the governance structure of the country to recognise that the Tamil speaking peoples are entitled to the right to self-determination and granting to them irreversible autonomy in the areas of historic habitation. We for our part will support the full implementation of such an arrangement if agreed upon, and urge the international community to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to come up with such an acceptable political solution and ensure its genuine implementation. “ issuing a communiqué Global Tamil Forum says.
Below we give the full press statement issued by the Global Tamil Forum.
In the history of political societies, there are times, which come very rarely, when individuals, groups, organisations and peoples in general within it are required to shed their differences and connect one with another, united to repel the aggressive forces threatening their existence in order to promote the general good of society. The Tamil speaking peoples in Sri Lanka are passing through such times. The victorious Sri Lankan state is heaping a long train of abuses on them, occupying their lands, denying their liberty, usurping their property, pursuing a design to reduce them to perpetual servitude. It is the right of the oppressed to reject such state practices and guard their future welfare and security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these peoples that we need to dissolve our differences and strengthen our resolve to alter this system of governance.
The history of the present Sri Lankan state since independence is a history of establishing such a tyranny over its Tamil speaking peoples, both Tamils and Muslims. We believe that the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has not ended by ending the armed conflict. The Tamil speaking peoples are still subject to the same chauvinistic forces which have oppressed them since 1948.
We note that the elected representatives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has engaged with the Government of Sri Lanka for the past one year, in dialogue to find a durable, and dignified political solution to the National Question. Such resolution must necessarily alter the governance structure of the country to recognise that the Tamil speaking peoples are entitled to the right to self-determination and granting to them irreversible autonomy in the areas of historic habitation. We for our part will support the full implementation of such an arrangement if agreed upon, and urge the international community to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to come up with such an acceptable political solution and ensure its genuine implementation.
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Global Tamil Forum (GTF) was established in 2009 by a number of grass-roots Tamil groups following the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. It is the largest Tamil diaspora organisation with members drawn from fifteen countries on five continents. GTF is absolutely committed to a non-violent agenda and it seeks a lasting peace in Sri Lanka, based on justice, reconciliation and a negotiated political settlement. For more information please contact info@globaltamilforum.org and/or visit: www.globaltamilforum.org
Media Contact: Suren Surendiran
Tel: +44 (0) 7958 590196 or +1 917 512 2992
Email: media@globaltamilforum.org
sam / January 15, 2012
What are the burning issues Tamils have in N & E which rural poor sinhala people dont have ?
Answer : mainly economic issues and lack of opportunities common most of Sinhala, tamils, muslims Sri lanka have.
Economic prosperity will bring opportunities to all. Therefore separation of the country and devolution will bring more ethnic divide and miscery. So will develop the country unitedly, we all can benefit .
TNA does not have capable people to negotiate with the govt.
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Peter Casie Chetty / January 15, 2012
Well said Sam.
I know that Sampanthan is not the many even the Tamils trust. The GTF and the BTF are LTTE fronts and we must remember that the North and the East were retarded by 30 years of war not because of the Sinhela Governments but by the LTTE. It will probably take 30 years to restore those areas to normalcy. This was the same in the South of Sri Lanka even as late as 2002. There was no drinking water or infrastructure except for the Japanese road that took traffice to and from Colombo. Not unlike the Roads and Rail that the British built to rape our country of the wealth we had. Development will be slow but steady we hope.
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Vasu / January 16, 2012
You should be traumatized by LTTE, dear Casie Chetty, most probably one of them left your mother mid in jungle alone. You need a psychotherapy. Tamils demands are not LTTE demands. Come out of your ratholes from France, learn the language to understand the way of western thinking or go home to satisfy your people
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