Ahead of the 75th independence anniversary, six major Tamil American organisations have written to the US House of Representatives to demand an independence referendum and that the US push for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In their statement, the organisations emphasised that Tamils have repeatedly called for Sri Lanka to be referred to the ICC and that during the final stages of the armed conflict, the death toll could be as high as 146,679.
It further notes that Eelam Tamils, Sri Lanka’s Independence Day “serves as a reminder of colonial rule, a Sri Lankan state amalgamated through improper decolonization, unfair power distribution, and continuing oppression under successive Sinhala Buddhist Nationalist Governments since independence, to such an extent that even freedom of expression is denied to Tamils by the Sri Lankan state”.
The statement also cites Dr. Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, former UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, who stressed that the “UN should demand that a referendum on the issue of self-determination of the Tamil People be held in Sri Lanka.”
Another concern raised is over China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka and the island’s strategic value located by the busy East-West shipping lanes between the Suez Canal and the Malacca Strait in the Indo-Pacific region. “Permanent peace and stability is vital not only for the region but to the wider world” the statement adds.
The statement concludes with the following demands:
- Urge the US administration to support Eelam Tamils’ rights to self-determination.
- Take initiatives towards conducting an Independence Referendum for Eelam Tamils to determine their political status democratically and peacefully.
- Urge the US administration to leverage the US’s position on the UN Security Council to pursue a referral of Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court.
- Formally recognize the genocide carried out against the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state
Responding to the statement, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) stated:
“FeTNA believes that International supervised referendum is the way to find a solution. The Sri Lankan government has failed again and again for the past 75 years protecting Tamil people in the island’
Dr. Murugiah Muraleetharan - Vice-President and the Treasurer of the Tamil Americans United Political Action Committee also commented:
“The joint letter by six major Tamil American organizations calling for Independence Referendum is a pivotal moment for the political rights of the Eelam Tamils which could ensure non-recurrence of Tamil Genocide”.
He added;
“only by serving justice to the Tamils and returning their sovereignty, can peace and stability be established in the region. A Permanent solution is important, and Independence Referendum is the democratic, peaceful, and correct approach. We are hopeful that the United States will take leadership to do the right thing.”
Ernest Rajakone, Advocacy Officer for People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) stated:
“The Tamil people have been consistent in their demands for justice and accountability for the genocide committed against them by the Sri Lankan state and for a durable political solution, in which they are able to exercise their rights to self-determination. At this critical moment in Sri Lanka’s history, PEARL is proud to join the Tamil American community in emphasizing with Congressional leadership the necessity of addressing longstanding Tamil demands if sustainable peace and stability is to be achieved on the island.”
The statement was signed by the Federation of Global Tamil Organizations (FGTO); the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA); Ilankai Tamil Sangam; People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL); Tamil Americans United PAC; and World Thamil Organization.
Read the full statement here and more here.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
