In a statement released shortly before India's foreign minister's visit to Sri Lanka, and the next round of talks between the TNA and the Sri Lankan government, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) - an alliance of Tamil diaspora groups from countries across the world -asserted that any political solution agreed by the TNA and Sri Lankan government must alter the current systems of governance, in accordance with the fact that Tamils "are entitled to the right to self-determination", and the need for "irreversible autonomy in areas of historic habitation".

 Highlighting the ongoing oppression faced and right of Tamils to "guard their future and security" in the face of such "chauvinistic forces", the group urged the international community to press the Sri Lankan government to agree to a political solution acceptable to the Tamil speaking peoples, and ensure any agreed changes were implemented.

Global Tamil Forum's press statement in full:

Global Tamil Forum on Government of Sri Lanka and Tamil National Alliance ‘Talks’

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.