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‘Change nature of the state, not just government’ say 63 Tamil organisations worldwide

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Tamil organisations across the world called on the international community to recognise that both candidates in the Sri Lankan presidential election have rejected a United Nations investigation into mass atrocities and offered no political solution to the Tamil people.

In a joint New Year message, 63 organisations pledged to work towards “dignity, freedom, justice, and peace” for the Tamil nation, adding they were hopeful the upcoming United Nations investigation into mass atrocities “will lead to accountability and remedial justice for genocide, war-crimes, and crimes against humanity committed against the Tamil people.”

The statement went on to add,

“As the Sinhala leaders campaign for the next Sri Lankan Presidential election scheduled for January 8th 2015, the International Community should be cognizant of the belligerent declarations by both major Sinhala candidates against the OISL investigation."

"Notably, neither has offered any political solution to the Tamils. As has been the unfortunate history of Sinhala dominated Sri Lankan political landscape, both candidates are re-enforcing the permanent and unassailable Sinhala ethnic majoritarianism in marginalizing and disempowering the Tamils. We believe, changing the nature of the state, not just a change in government, is the viable path to genuine democracy and permanent peace in the island.”

Organisations from across 17 different countries signed the statement, including student groups, political parties and various civil society members.

See the statement in full produced below.

Joint New Year Message from World-wide Tamil Organizations and Entities: A Solemn Pledge to Work for Justice, Protection, and Freedom of the Tamil People

January 01, 2015

On this New Year’s Day, January 1, 2015, Tamil organizations and entities around the world pledge our renewed commitment to bring dignity, freedom, justice, and peace to our Tamil brethren living in the occupied North-East region constituting the Tamil Nation in the island of Sri Lanka. We are united in our quest for freedom for our people who have been oppressed by successive Sri Lankan regimes.

We thank the International Community for leading and supporting the Resolution at the March 2014 Session of the UNHRC, which initiated the investigation by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for violations of human rights and related crimes against the Tamil people. We are hopeful that the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) will lead to accountability and remedial justice for genocide, war-crimes, and crimes against humanity committed against the Tamil people.

As the Sinhala leaders campaign for the next Sri Lankan Presidential election scheduled for January 8th2015, the International Community should be cognizant of the belligerent declarations by both major Sinhala candidates against the OISL investigation. Notably, neither has offered any political solution to the Tamils. As has been the unfortunate history of Sinhala dominated Sri Lankan political landscape, both candidates are re-enforcing the permanent and unassailable Sinhala ethnic majoritarianism in marginalizing and disempowering the Tamils. We believe, changing the nature of the state, not just a change in government, is the viable path to genuine democracy and permanent peace in the island.

Since the end of the war in May 2009, Sri Lanka has engaged in accelerated destruction of the Tamil Nation including forced demographic changes, illegal occupation of lands belonging to Tamils, disrupting religious ceremonies and destruction of places of worship, assault on press freedom, continuing disappearances and torture, and suffocating military occupation, all perpetuating the genocide.

Under these circumstances, we call upon the International Community to urgently bring about an interim-mechanism to protect the Tamil people from these genocidal activities by Sri Lanka, and to create the conditions for the Tamil people to exercise their right to self-determination via a referendum to decide their political future.

At this propitious time of year, we call for a peaceful world thriving with justice, equality and freedom for all.

The following Tamil organizations and entities are jointly releasing this 2015 New Year Message:
1. Academy of Tamil Studies, Malaysia
2. Akila Inthiya Tamilar Katchi, Tamil Nadu, India
3. Anti Methane Project Federation - Tamil Nadu, India
4. Association For Community and Dialogue, Malaysia
5. British Tamil Conservatives, UK
6. British Tamils Forum, UK
7. Center for War Victims & Human Rights, Canada
8. Communist Party of India - Tamil Nadu Secretariat, India
9. Communist Party (M-L) People Liberation - Tamil Nadu, India
10. Council of Temples, Malaysia
11. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Tamil Nadu, India
12. Forum Against War Crimes and Genocide - Tamil Nadu, India
13. Green Student Movement, Tamil Nadu, India
14. Group of Concerned Citizens, Malaysia
15. Hindu Defense Brigade, Malaysia
16. Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA
17. International Council of Eelam Tamils (ICET)
18. ICET: Council of Eelam Tamils in Germany, Germany
19. ICET: Danish Federation of Tamil Associations, Denmark
20. ICET: Dutch Tamil Forum, Netherland
21. ICET: Italian Council of Eelam Tamils, Italy
22. ICET: Maison du Tamil Eelam France, France
23. ICET: National Council of Canadian Tamils, Canada
24. ICET: National council of New Zealand Tamils, New Zealand
25. ICET: Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils, Norway
26. ICET: Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils, Switzerland
27. ICET: Tamil Cultural Centre - Belgium, Belgium
28. Malaysian Indian Youth Council, Malaysia
29. Malaysian Tamil Forum, Malaysia
30. Mouvement Against Tamils Genocide, Mauritius
31. Naam Thamilar Katchi, Tamil Nadu, India
32. New Zealand Tamil Society, New Zealand
33. Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils, Norway
34. Pasumai Thaayagam Foundation - Tamil Nadu, India
35. Pattali Makkal Katchi - Tamil Nadu, India
36. Penang Society for Advancement of Tamils, Malaysia
37. People for Equality and Relief in Lanka, USA
38. People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy - Tamil Nadu, India
39. Southside FM Radio, South Africa
40. Students Federation For Free Eelam, Tamil Nadu, India
41. Students Movement For Change, Tamil Nadu, India
42. Students Struggle for Tamil Eelam - Tamil Nadu, India
43. Swedish Tamils Forum, Sweden
44. Tamil Nadu Makkal Katchi - Tamil Nadu, India
45. Tamil Nadu Students Movement - Tamil Nadu, India
46. Tamil Renaissance Front, Malaysia
47. Tamil Agam Students Movement, Tamil Nadu, India
48. Tamilar Munnetra Padai, Tamil Nadu, India
49. Tamilar Vaazhvurimai Katchi, Tamilnaadu, India
50. Tamils Against Genocide UK, USA
51. Tamils Cultural Center - Tamil Nadu, India
52. Tamils For Labour, UK
53. Tamil Students Initiative, UK
54. Tamil Youth and Students Federation, Tamil Nadu, India
55. Thamizh Thesiya Periyakkam - Tamil Nadu, India
56. Thamizh Thesiya Viduthai Iyakkam - Tamil Nadu, India
57. Thamizhar Munnetrak Kazhagam - Tamil Nadu, India
58. The solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka, South Africa
59. Thiravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam - Tamil Nadu, India
60. Secretariat, Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam
61. United States Tamil Political Action Council, USA
62. World Thamil Organization, USA

63. Young Tamil Nadu Movement - Tamil Nadu, India

 

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