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56 Tamil organisations from across the world have rejected a domestic Sri Lankan inquiry into human rights abuses and called for an international investigation into genocide, in a joint New Year message.
The signatories to the statement, which span across 10 different countries, jointly noted there was an overwhelming mandate for an international investigation expressed in the recent Northern Provincial Council elections, and fully committed themselves to working towards an independent investigation into the crime of genocide.
The statement, signed by many youth organisations and political parties, is released as talk of a South African style ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ have emerged from the island. Notably, organisations from South Africa, Malaysia, Australia, UK, India, Canada, USA, Mauritius, New Zealand, Sweden all jointly signed the statement.
See the statement in full produced below.
Joint New Year Message from Worldwide Tamil Entities:
A Solemn Pledge to Work for International InvestigationOn this New Year’s Day, January 1, 2014, Tamil entities around the world pledge our renewed commitment to bring freedom, justice, peace and dignity to our Tamil brethren living in the occupied NorthEast of Sri Lanka. With our diverse backgrounds we are united in working for our people who have been oppressed by the successive Sri Lankan regimes since “independence” in 1948, and pledge to work against the continuing oppression of the Tamil Nation.
We highlight that the Tamil people don’t have any faith in the government of Sri Lanka and have democratically provided an overwhelming mandate for an independent international investigation in the Northern Provincial Council election held in September 2013. We point out to the International Community that even after two resolutions by the United Nations Human Rights Council, Sri Lanka is defiant, denying justice and political rights to the Tamils. We note that the Sri Lanka’s domestic Commission of Inquiry even with the participation of the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons from 11 countries failed to offer justice to the Tamils in 2008.
We reject any and all domestic inquiry mechanisms, and fully commit ourselves to mobilize the International Community to establish an independent international investigation by the United Nations to investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide against the Tamils.
At this propitious time of year, we call for a peaceful world thriving with justice, equality and freedom for all.
1. Academy of Tamil Studies, Malaysia
2. Association For Community and Dialogue, Malaysia
3. Australian Tamil Congress, Australia
4. British Tamil Conservatives, UK
5. Center for War Victims & Human Rights, Canada
6. Communist Party of India, Tamil Nadu Secretariat, India
7. Council of Temples, Malaysia
8. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Tamil Nadu, India
9. Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam, Tamil Nadu, India
10. Eastern Cape Tamil Federation, South Africa
11. Eluthenhi Arakkaddallai, Tamil Nadu, India
12. Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America, USA
13. Group of Concerned Citizens, Malaysia
14. Hindu Defence Brigade, Malaysia
15. Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA
16. Islamic Youth Movement Against Genocide, Tamil Nadu, India
17. Kistnen Mestree Tamil Benevolent Society, Mauritius
18. Malaysian Indian Youth Council, Malaysia
19. Malaysian Tamil Forum, Malaysia
20. Naam Thamilar, Tamil Nadu, India
21. New Zealand Tamil Society, New Zealand
22. Pattali Makkal Katchi, Tamil Nadu, India
23. People for Equality and Relief in Lanka, USA
24. Save Tamils Movement, Tamil Nadu, India
25. Southside FM Radio, South Africa
26. Student Front For the Freedom of Tamil Eelam, Tamil Nadu, India
27. Students Federation For Free Eelam, Tamil Nadu, India
28. Students Federations Of TamilNadu, Tamil Nadu, India
29. Students Movement For Change, Tamil Nadu, India
30. Students Struggle For Tamil Eelam, Tamil Nadu, India
31. Swedish Tamils Forum, Sweden
32. Tamil Federation of Gauteng, South Africa
33. Tamil Federation of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
34. Tamil League, Mauritius
35. TamilNadu Makkal Katchi, Tamil Nadu, India
36. Tamil National Liberation Movement, Tamil Nadu, India
37. Tamil Renaissance Front, Malaysia
38. Tamils Against Genocide UK, USA
39. Tamils Cultural Center, Tamil Nadu, India
40. Tamils For Labour, UK
41. Tamil Students Initiative, UK
42. Tamil Youth Front, USA
43. Tamil Youth Organisation, UK
44. Tamil Youth and Students Federation, Tamil Nadu, India
45. Thamil Creative Writers Association, Canada
46. Thamil Ellhuchip Peravai, Tamil Nadu, India
47. Thamizhar Munnetrak Kazhagam, Tamil Nadu, India
48. The Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation, Mauritius
49. The Movement Against Tamil Genocide, Mauritius
50. The South African Tamil Federation, South Africa
51. The Union Tamoul, Mauritius
52. Secretariat, Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam
53. United States Tamil Political Action Council, USA
54. Western Cape Tamil Federation, South Africa
55. World Tamil Confederation, Tamil Nadu, India
56. World Thamil Organization, USA
Also see the statement in Tamil below.
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