GTF delivers tribute message The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) joined President Jacob Zuba, ministers and senior government officials of South Africa to pay tribute to the late activist and minister, Roy Padayachie, at his state funeral in Durban on Wednesday. As one of the handful of speakers requested to address the mourners and pay tribute to the late Mr Padayachie, the GTF's spokeperson, Suren Surendiran, shared his memories of Comrade Roy, who he described as a pivotal and inspirational figure to the organisation. President Jacob Zuma greets Mr Surendiran Addressing the mourners, Mr Surendiran said, "let me, on your behalf, salute Comrade Roy, whom I and a large number of Tamil speaking people admire so much, for his leadership, not just in this country, but throughout the Tamil diaspora for laying the foundation for Global Tamil Forum, and for his crucial and catalytic role in bringing the liberation campaign together, with a vision to follow ." "The reward he sought, as he has always said, is not recognition, nor status, nor titles, nor money but that the coming generation – who never even knew him – enjoys a better life, thanks to his courageous work. And I also want to pay my personal tribute, to his work and his leadership in achieving, by his determined action, what many thought was impossible - to internationalise, the Tamil Question ."
Extracts from a fascinating article by The New York Times last on Syria’s Kurds. The Kurds of Syria, long oppressed by the government of President Bashar al-Assad, are largely staying out of the fighting , hedging their bets as they watch to see who will gain the upper hand. But the PKK has allied itself with the Assad government. In the past, Syria armed and protected the PKK in its long campaign against Turkey. Mr. Assad has made major efforts to keep Syria's Kurds out of the fray, aware that their support for the opposition could prove decisive. He has promised that hundreds of thousands...
President Abbas (c) with President Rajapaksa. Photo Sunday Times Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas visiting Sri Lanka Monday hailed President Mahinda Rajapaksa for “achieving peace and stability in the country,” state media reported. Abbas is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka. It comes exactly fifteen years after former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat visited Sri Lanka – with an offer to mediate in the island’s conflict. Abbas was accompanied by foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki. Al-Maliki told reporters that the two countries had seen issues “from the same eye” for a considerable...
Delegates represent their country organisations at T-League's second annual general meeting A worldwide coalition of Tamil youth organisations, Global Tamil Youth League (T-League), pledged to continue the struggle against the genocide faced by the Tamil nation and work towards a political solution that was based on the Tamil nation's right to self-determination, at its second annual conference held on the 7th - 8th April. In a resolution unanimously adopted by all of the coalition's member organisations, T-League called for 'the establishment of an independent, international mechanism to ensure truth, accountability and justice ', and pledged to work 'to achieve a political solution that recognises the uncompromising, fundamental principles of the Tamil freedom struggle ', 'to raise awareness about the ongoing multi-faceted genocide unleashed on the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state' and 'to promote the identity of the Tamil nation '.
Electricity and fuel prices have shot up as Sri Lanka’s economy adjusts to the sudden drop in the value of the rupee after the Central Bank acceded to IMF pressure and abandoned – for now - its long standing policy of artificially propping up the local currency. Diesel and kerosene prices rose 36 and 49 per cent respectively whilst electricity rates for domestic consumers are to rise by 40 per cent. Bakeries are threatening to increase the price of bread , a staple - especially for the working poor. In the past two weeks the rupee has lost 5.7 per cent of its value against the US dollar. Consequently the prices of fuel and other imported commodities have risen. At the same, the Central Bank is finally signalling an end to cheap credit from Sri Lanka’s increasingly state controlled banks – another key demand of the IMF. Cheap state directed credit was an important factor in fuelling import demand - see our earlier post here . These changes will hit hard President Mahinda Rajapakse’s support base – namely the middle and lower middle class, urban and rural voters in the Sinhala majority areas. The UNP is already talking of an anti UPFA alliance with the TNA and JVP. However, economic difficulties may strengthen rather than undermine Rajapakse’s impeccable Sinhala nationalist credentials.
The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) - a worldwide alliance of Tamil diaspora groups 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". Photograph Tamilnet - Jaffna uni students protest against ongoing oppression by Sri Lankan state, Sept 2011.
Responding to an online petition demanding support from the Obama adminstration into an "international investigation into war crimes and other human rights abuses committed in Sri Lanka", the US state Department, in a statement released Friday, stressed the needed for accountability, as a "critical component of reconciliation" and warned that that "international accountability mechanisms" may be used if the Sri Lankan government is "unable or unwilling to meet its obligations".
Almost seven years after the assassination of the Tamil journalist, Dharmaratnam Sivaram, known also as Taraki, the perpetrators and the commissioners of his murder, are yet to be brought to justice. The trial of the man accused of murdering Dharmaratnam Sivaram, scheduled to take place Thursday, was postponed after the State Counsel informed the court that six witnesses failed to attend, reported BBC Sinhala . The six, includes two policemen. The trial has been rescheduled for the 25th April. Sivaram, one of the founding editors of Tamilnet, was abducted on the 28th April 2005. His body was...
Facing the pervasive climate of fear and militarisation with resilience and defiance, Tamil students in the North-East have exceled at recent national exams. Topping the national GCE mathematics examination in Sri Lanka, Kamalavasan, from Uduppitti American Mission College, achieved 3 As (3.1167 z points). The second highest grade nationally in Science was achieved by another Tamil student - Sanjayan. Their success has been praised by the Tamil nation the world over, from their home towns, to their peers across the diaspora. "To have achieved these grades is simply incredible", said Sophie...
Photograph Tamilnet Six years have now passed since the execution of five Tamil students by Sri Lankan Security forces, while they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee. As of yet, no thorough investigation has been conducted into the murders and no-one has been arrested. The struggle for justice however, has not been given up on. Earlier this month, Amnesty International launched a “ Write-for-Rights ” campaign, highlighting the case of the “Trinco 5” and called for genuine investigations into this and the countless other human rights violations on the island. See the video below to...