The Global Tamil Forum last night wrote a letter of thanks to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa regarding the resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, which calls on the Indian Prime Minister to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. “GTF has been greatly encouraged by your previous calls on the Indian Government to ensure a “dignified and honourable existence” for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. We are grateful for your on-going vigilance regarding the situation on the island and the principled position you and the Tamil Nadu Assembly has taken on CHOGM. We hope that the Indian Prime Minister follows your advice.We will continue to prevail upon all Heads of Government and countries of the Commonwealth the need to hold to account President Rajapaksa’s regime.” the letter said.
We publish below the letter in full;
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa
Honourable Ms Selvi J. Jayalalithaa
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister,
‘Veda Nilayam’,
81/36 Poes Garden,
Chennai-600 086,
India
Open Letter
25th October 2013
Dear Chief Minister,
We are writing, on behalf of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), to express our sincere thanks regarding the recent resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, which calls on the Indian Prime Minister to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo. The support shown by you and the Assembly for truth, accountability, justice and human rights in Sri Lanka is most welcome, as is the commitment displayed to the fundamental principles of the Commonwealth. Your actions have been an eloquent expression of the solidarity of Tamil Nadu with the on-going Tamil struggle for an honourable existence on the island. We hope that Hon. Dr Manmohan Singh MP, as well as other Heads of Government in the association, give serious consideration to the position you and the Assembly has taken and reconsider their participation at CHOGM in November.
The pressing need to take action on Sri Lanka has been strengthened by the recent statements made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navi Pillay. Her remarks at the end of her visit to the country, in August, and in her oral update to the UN Human Rights Council, in September, should have been a wake-up call to all members of the Commonwealth. GTF agrees with her analysis that Sri Lanka “is heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction [with…] the curtailment or denial of personal freedoms and human rights […] persistent impunity and the failure of the rule of law.”
The impeachment and dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice, at the beginning of this year, was a breach of the Commonwealth’s Latimer House Principles. The Commonwealth Election Observer Mission to Sri Lanka, which was in the country for the recent Northern Provincial Council elections, noted that voters “exercised their franchise in the context of a compromised electoral environment […] with the military in the electoral campaign consistently described to the mission as a significant obstacle to a credible electoral process.” In addition, there has been neither accountability for the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both Government and Tamil Tiger (LTTE) forces during the conflict nor any meaningful attempts to address the root cause of the ethnic conflict and war – the discrimination and marginalisation of the Tamil people from the time of independence in 1948.
The Government of Sri Lanka is in clear breach of many of the shared values that the Commonwealth is meant to espouse. Democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, rule of law, judicial independence and good governance are under sustained assault. Sri Lanka should not have been given the honour of hosting CHOGM 2013, and should not be in a position to become Chair of the Commonwealth.
As you have stated, attending CHOGM, when President Rajapaksa has done so little to protect human rights and address the accountability and reconciliation issues arising from the armed conflict, would amount to a tacit endorsement of the policies of his regime. This is why GTF has urged all Heads of Government to boycott the event and why we support the positions taken by you and the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the Canadian Government and the UK Labour Party.
GTF has been greatly encouraged by your previous calls on the Indian Government to ensure a “dignified and honourable existence” for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. We are grateful for your on-going vigilance regarding the situation on the island and the principled position you and the Tamil Nadu Assembly has taken on CHOGM. We hope that the Indian Prime Minister follows your advice.
We will continue to prevail upon all Heads of Government and countries of the Commonwealth the need to hold to account President Rajapaksa’s regime.
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Dr S.J. Emmanuel President- Global Tamil Forum
Rt. Hon Joan Ryan- Policy Advisor – Global Tamil Forum
Real Peace / October 26, 2013
Mahinda promised accountability, political solution and meaningful reconciliation to one of the most important persons on this planet – United Nations Secretary General. Jeya is only asking her PM to put this promise into concrete actions.
Well done, Jeya. Who knows she might become the defence, foreign or even Prime minister in the BJP govt. Interesting to watch the events in 2014….!!!
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Banda / October 26, 2013
Ever since EVR Periyar demanded a Dravidastan for Dravidians, Hindians don’t trust a Tamilian to be their Prime Minister. Otherwise, Kamraj should have been the Indian Prime Minister a long time back.
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Real Peace / October 26, 2013
What about Sikhs? They demanded Khalistan, but now a Sikh has become Prime Minister…!!
Please listen carefully what the TNA is saying. They say Tamils want self rule in their homeland in a united Sri Lanka. What’s wrong in that Banda? This is what Indian States enjoys in a United India.
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Point of View / October 26, 2013
He is a blind ‘Patriot’ born again as Banda with blinkers !
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
Banda
Mokkan, Modaya, Stupid Banda
“Hindians don’t trust a Tamilian to be their Prime Minister. Otherwise, Kamraj should have been the Indian Prime Minister a long time back”
It was Kamaraj who refused to be appointed as the Prime Minister of India and remained a king maker until Indra obliterated the Syndicate.
I know you stupid Sinhala/Buddhists pick history out of thin air. Please don’t rewrite Indian history too to suit your today’s petty political need.
Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda who was the Prime Minister between 1996 and 97, a Dravidian,which didn’t prevent him being elected to the highest office in India.
Anndurai renounced separatism when Nehru accommodated most of DMK’s demands including language issues and renaming Madras to Tamilnadu.
Go learn history from my Elders, you stupid Pandara Nayak or Bandara Vannia.
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J.Muthu / October 27, 2013
I am fed up with this Sinhala Buddhist modayas long long time ago, at last you come to that stage…
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
J.Muthu
“I am fed up with this Sinhala Buddhist modayas long long time ago, at last you come to that stage…”
I have never been fed up with Tamils or Sinhalese as you know both are very, very,… stupid people and unlike Tamils and Sinhalese I am not going to give up.
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Senguttuvan / October 27, 2013
I am afraid reader Banda misleads himself with the mischievous and erroneous comment (Indians) do not like a Tamil to be Indian PM. He probably is not aware, in recent times, on more than one occasion the Hon’lbe P. Chidambaram came close to gain the honour. Very soon that will be possible, I venture to suggest, with the popular approval of the whole of India. Shri Kamaraj Nadar did not have a chance in those days when Morarji and the Hindi-belt ran India when the Congress Party enjoyed the monopoly.
That is all history now. You are now dealing with a modernistic India with millions of those of recent Indians high up in societies in the USA, Canada and Britain – bringing back the finer features of democracy and education in those countries to strengthen the earlier narrow Indian political spectrum. Replacing the Licence Raj with that of a more open Economy is one of those bold and modern features that have changed the face of India.
By the way I cannot see the possibility of a Tamil PM in Delhi having any adverse affect on Sri Lanka.
Senguttuvan
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
Senguttuvan
I may be wrong, it was Kamraj who declined to lead the country as its prime minister.
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Senguttuvan / October 27, 2013
Native V,
I appreciate you know your Indian political history well.
It didn’t happen – so we all speculate. Mine is based on recognised political watchers of the time. Next time I run
into the versatile Cho Ramasamy or Prof. Suryanarayan I’ll take this up. It may well have been a story floated by the challenged Nehru to thwart an attempt to oust him from the Right lead by Morarji and friends – who later morphed into the Syndicate.
India today needs a man like the old Kamraj avargal – honourable to the core and totally above corruption. But then that was the closed economy and the Licence Raj when the ball game was played differently. Today it is unbridled corruption and a freer economy that has little respect for ethics and morality.
BTW, what has happened to your crowd. They want to play the suddha’s pandu now. My personal take as one for change and changing times is that the maha-ura must get his double cab and
convert the lot into Crikkity. It will be nice to see a Bintenne-Mahiyangana XI in today’s equivalent of the Sara trophy. I don’t need to remind you Cher is a singing star and so was Johnny Cash.
Its a long way from Montezuma, Geronimo and that luscious lump of loveliness – the lithesome Hiawatha. There could be many much closer to First Nation blood than these two examples who have taken into the new ways.
Cheers/Senguttuvan
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Native Vedda / October 28, 2013
Senguttuvan
“I don’t need to remind you Cher is a singing star and so was Johnny Cash.”
Cher has Cherokee blood but Johny cash was very sympathetic American natives. My Elders tell me he wrote and played a number of songs about the plight of Natives.
What I like about Cher is her outrageous outfits.
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manisekaran / October 27, 2013
Amazing at your knowledge all around NV, I am willing to meet you in person
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
manisekaran
“Amazing at your knowledge all around NV, I am willing to meet you in person”
We will one day, when you tell me incidents of corruption and state brutality have been confined to history.
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manisekaran / October 27, 2013
Senguttuvan, In fact Kamaraj was offered PM post, he refused to accept teh high post as he lacked fluency in English and suggested Indira’a name for PM
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manisekaran / October 27, 2013
Banda, don’t post something you don’t know, In fact the great Kamaraj was offered PM post, he declined stating that he does not know English and in turn he strongly advocated for Indira.
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Max Silva / October 28, 2013
“Thanks Jayalalitha”.”Well done Jeya”.Not enough my friend!If you really want to make this old bag Jeyalalitha happy,all you defeated Tamil terrorists ought to wash the old bag’s undies.Or even washing the shit off the streets of Chenai!The defeated Tamil terrorists are being taken for a right royal ride by not only the “Lalithas” but also by other foreigners.The world’s official errand boys,the defeated Tamil terrorists!
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mus / October 26, 2013
Tamilnadu has no electricity for more than 12 hours everyday. Men, women, bulls, cows, dogs and bitches loiter in the dark and shit everywhere by the roadside everyday for seven days a week. Forget this woman, she must be [Edited out].
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manisekaran / October 27, 2013
Mus, now TN has become excess electricity producer for last one year all parts of TN have full time electricity
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Taraki / October 26, 2013
She’s only playing with the political football that is the Sri lankan Tamil issue. GTF is a joke. Why would their ‘policy advisor’ sign the letter? The European name adds credibility.
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Citizen / October 26, 2013
Her diplomatic tactics at the appropriate time has to appreciated.
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
Citizen
“Her diplomatic tactics at the appropriate time has to appreciated.”
Yes you are right, the Indian elections are around the corner,she needs every single vote to horse trade at the centre, may demand deputy Premiership and dismissal of all pending cases against her.
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ela kolla / October 26, 2013
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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Fathima Fukushima / October 26, 2013
Ela kola, please don’t abuse the opportunity given to freely express your views.
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Ela kolla / October 27, 2013
I was waiting for your opinion…[Edited out]…
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
ela kolla
Stupid man/woman
It was not John Wayne who taught VP to shoot from hip. VP learned it from Clint Eastwood.
VP was a huge fan of Spaghetti Westerns.
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Fathima Fukushima / October 26, 2013
Jeyalalitha’s lover was MGR.
He, his father, mother and brother were a toilet cleaners in Nawalapitiya.
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Real Peace / October 26, 2013
Hi Fuk
But the same shit comes out of your ass, doesn’t it? Do you clean your ass? so you are a shit cleaner, aren’t you??
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Fathima Fukushima / October 27, 2013
Rear Piece,
I wash off only my dirt. Not others’ dirt.
MGR was cleaning some Ratwatte’s toilets. Some argue his biological father might be one Barns Ratwatte. May be true.
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Hooker / October 27, 2013
FatFuk,
MGR was a high-caste Menon. You will not be able to connect this and the Estate workers – most of whom are Dalits. Using your idiotic comments and your low intelligence you cause much harm to Muslims.
It is clear you are a half-educated EP Muslim with some ability to write poor English. Stop harming the rest of the Muslim community. Try to do something useful.
Hooker
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sooriya / October 26, 2013
Komalawalli, Look at your door step. Howmany tamil children are on slavery work? How many Tamil children are suffering malnitrition? No free access to education, food or shelter..Dont use your big mouth and big ass against Sri Lanka..We dont care it…Who has given the authority to talk about Sri Lanka? Are you a queen? For us you and Emmanuel are toilet cleaners….
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Real Peace / October 26, 2013
Sooriya
So you & Fuk are now shit cleaners !!
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Fathima Fukushima / October 27, 2013
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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Thondamanaru / October 26, 2013
hi Emmanuel offer Jayalalitha a cassoack tooooooooo as a gift and an Under Vere if you wear one.
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Jones / October 27, 2013
This corrupted Jayalalitha woman wouldn’t lift a finger without getting paid. So how much has The Global Tamil Forum paid her with their ill-got money?
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manisekaran / October 27, 2013
definitely cannot be more than what MR paid to S.Swamy for brokering to water down the UNHRC 2013
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Native Vedda / October 27, 2013
Jones
“This corrupted Jayalalitha woman wouldn’t lift a finger without getting paid.”
Do you think MGR paid her to lift her fingers?
“So how much has The Global Tamil Forum paid her with their ill-got money?”
How much do you think did GTF pay her?
What do you mean by ill got money?
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Fathima Fukushima / October 27, 2013
We should get down Jeyalalitha to SL.
What happened to ISAIPIRIYA will happen to Jeyalalitha.
Imagine how Toilet Nadu will go crazy! :)
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Lanka liar / October 27, 2013
I know the moment they see a woman they will try to strip her. Is it the SL culture. Dont know what is going to happen to those women coming for CHOGM. Will they have a naked session.
How about the cabinet meeting. Should be a pretty site.
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K.A Sumanasekera / October 28, 2013
This is probably why Gota got a call to come to Delhi.
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Uthungan / October 29, 2013
The imperious pro Hindutva Narendra Modi Jeyalalitha does not know the difference between an onion and garlic and she is advertising her ignorance with letters to PM Manmohan Singh on attending the CHOGM.
The latest news from the Maldives today is about the attack on the Indian envoy there.
It is a consequence of India’s closed eye lazy attitude in ignoring the realities of democratically elected President’s unjust ouster by certain powerful vested interests with the backing of foreign political manipulators.
If India is going to pursue it’s foreign policy by taking people like Jeyalalitha seriously and turning a blind eye on the activities of her reactionary adviser Subbrmaniam Swamy who also happens to be be a good friend of the President of SL one cannot imagine what that combination would be for the future of newly constituted NPC and the Indian government’s commitment on the right of the minorities in the N&E in the island to live as equals with the majority in the South.
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