World Tamils Forum Conference in London Reaffirms Tamils’ Aspirations
British Tamils Forum, assisted by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T), hosted an international conference, titled "World Tamils Forum", on Thursday, 26 March 2009 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in London.
[Rev Jesse Jackson at the "World Tamils Forum"]
Tamil academics, professionals and Tamil Youth from 22 countries attended the conference, at which Rev Jesse Jackson from the USA was the key-note speaker. The 45 delegates gathered over two days to discuss and draw up a declaration addressing the humanitarian tragedy facing Tamils in Sri Lanka, exposing the Genocidal War, reinforcing the need for a political process and the role that international actors would need to play.
The Former Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Sri Lanka Rt. Hon. Des Browne, Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, Labour National Executive Committee (NEC) Member Mr Mike Griffiths, Entertainer and Charity Worker Sir Jimmy Savile, Members of Parliament from the UK and Sri Lanka, Dignitaries and Civil Servants also attended the conference.
All non-Tamil speakers at the conference commented that the Tamil Diaspora by grouping up in one place have demonstrated their formidable strength and the significance of the democratic approach to concluding their aspirations. They also commented that what is happening in Sri Lanka for the Tamils is unique and unacceptable. Unlike in the case of Darfur or even Gaza, the Sri Lankan Government expelled humanitarian agencies and international media long before the war intensified paving the way for a Genocidal war without witnesses.
Prime Minster’s Special Envoy to Sri Lanka, Rt. Hon. Des Browne, in his address highlighted that the often quoted figure of 70,000 killed is a gross underestimation of the lives that have been lost as a result of war in Sri Lanka. He further highlighted that the pressing need is the humanitarian crisis facing Tamil civilians remaining in the conflict zone. During his speech, Mr Browne acknowledged that the largest number of casualties continues to be in the government declared safety zone and strongly condemned these acts of violence.
He conveyed that the UK government was doing everything it could to bring about a ceasefire ever since Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for it in the Parliament. In reference to his appointment as UK’s special envoy to Sri Lanka, Des Browne explained that the intention of the appointment was to focus on alleviating the humanitarian crisis and facilitating a permanent solution. He expressed grave disappointment at the Government of Sri Lanka’s decision to reject his appointment and reiterated that all parties to the conflict would need to be included in any peace settlement.
He further said that unlike what the Government of Sri Lanka said after his appointment was announced, the British Government did consult the President of Sri Lanka and only announced after it was mutually agreed. “It is difficult for us to understand why they did this” He stressed that the idea of his appointment is to bring to bear his previous experience in the conflict in Northern Ireland. He also stressed that it is not the British Government’s wish to enforce any solutions to the problem however he said that the parties to the conflict should resolve. Mr Browne emphasised that the conflict cannot be solved by military means and drew parallels to the Northern Ireland experience.
He said that he has been engaged with the US State Department, Norway and Japan. Indiahe said needs to play a major role as the super power of the region. He further said that “today’s meeting is significant” and that he will be reaching out to the Diaspora and the media. At the end of his speech he said that “the nature of my job as a special envoy means that I must be neutral, so I will not answer all comments”.
In his keynote speech, Rev Jesse Jackson emphasised his strong commitment to establishing a ceasefire in Sri Lanka and the need for there to be dialogue between Tamils and the Sri Lankan Government to establish a permanent solution.
The world renowned Rights Activist highlighted the urgency in increasing international awareness of the crisis and expressed his support for upholding international law, human rights, economic development assistance and the right to self determination.
Rev Jackson stressed that he does not believe that violence is the way forward in any situation. He drew parallels between the freedom struggle of the African Americans in the United States of America and the Tamils of Sri Lanka. He asked everyone to see beyond the current circumstances and difficulties and have a vision of how things should be in the future; “Everyone must have hope and believe peace and justice is possible. Hope matters a lot.”
Rev Jackson said that the international community has a moral obligation to act to stop the killing of innocent civilians. He stressed the importance of co-existence against co-inhalation. Rev Jackson received the same standing ovation upon his exit, as he did when he entered into the conference room.
Other speakers included Former Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, who also answered many questions from the delegates. He suggested that the Westminster-style model was not suitable to the Sri Lankan circumstances where there is a long standing history of the majority suppressing the Tamil ethnic minority.
Mike Griffiths recognised Tamils’ right to self determination and Sir Jimmy Savile expressed his support to the British Tamil community. APPG-T Parliamentarians Siobhain McDonagh MP, Keith Vaz MP and Simon Hughes MP, also addressed the conference supporting the Tamils right to self determination and supported the holding of a referendum. They all stressed the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and for immediate relief efforts to be made by the international community.
At the conclusion the Tamil delegates passed a resolution by show of hands unanimously.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
We, the 45 delegates from 22 countries at the Conference of World Tamils, having met and deliberated in London on the 25th and 26th day of March 2009:
• Are severely shocked and deeply concerned by the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the Vanni and lack of any substantive reaction by the international community;
• Recognise that the Sri Lankan state is engaged in a genocide of the Tamil people of the island;
• Recognise that the Tamil people have the inalienable right to determine their own destiny;
• Recognise that the Tamil people have mandated the establishment of a free, sovereign state of Tamil Eelam as the only enduring solution;
• Recognise that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are the authentic representatives of the Tamil people;
And hereby we resolve that; 1. All killings and attacks of Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan state must cease immediately;
2. Unimpeded humanitarian assistance to those in need in the Vanni must be allowed;
3. The United Nations, International Non-Governmental Organisations, and the ICRC must have unfettered humanitarian access to the Tamil population and be permitted to re-establish a permanent presence in the Vanni;
4. There must be an immediate ceasefire; and
5. Negotiations for a political solution to the conflict must begin immediately after
(This is a Press Release issued by The British Tamils Forum)
15 Comments
"Recognise that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are the authentic representatives of the Tamil people"
The above resolution wrecks everything.....
How on earth an organisation that has been banned as a terrorist organization in four major democratic countries and its leader who is a convicted murderer (who is not even decent enough to attend the judicial trial) of a popular leader of the largest democracy become the authentic representative of Tamils?
Utter waste of time, energy and resources.
What does the LTTE need to do if it is genuinely interested in helping the Tamils?
1. Pledge to give full corporation to the murder trial of Mr Gandhi.
2. Pledge to commence a process of decommissioning of arms if the UN/Co-chairs are prepared to come up with an armed peace keeping mission in the Northeast.
3. Pledge to respect the rule of zero tolerance on recruiting child soldiers.
4. In the environment of normalcy pledge to pursue a non-violent campaign for SELF RULE WITH RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION IN THE TRADITIONAL TAMIL HOMELAND.
This is what the LTTE needs to do if it wants the participation and contribution of the IC to resolve this conflict; I have no doubt the above pledges will be music to the ears of IC and the IC won't hesitate to embrace the LTTE.
As far as I am concerned the LTTE lost its armed struggle the day it turned its guns against the fellow TELO cadres, Indian Soldiers, Tamil leaders such as Amirthalingam et al, and the former Indian Prime Minister.
The strangle-hold the Buddhist clerical hierarchy and the Sinhala supremacist cabal – outside the Parliamentary area – have imposed on the country has undermined the integrity of the democratic process in the country beginning 1956. It has gradually gained ascendancy to the extent some of its leading lights in the priesthood could no longer hide their lust for power. They entered the snake-pit of politics openly shattering all rules and obligations of the Buddhist charter. It is widely known ordinary Sinhalese find this charade by the priests distasteful and anti-Buddhistic but lack serious clout to alter the equation. The government and pro-Sinhala forces have denied the existence of this parallel source of political power which has grown over the years. Senior journalists and academics in the country have equally laughed this off whenever the subject was discussed. However, this surreptitious source of power is now coming out of the closet. The world is beginning to take note of them - whereas the Lankan academic community failed to recognise this or feared to express this. This essay confirms the British Govt duly consulted the President of Sri Lanka and secured his assent long before the announcement of Des Browne as Special Envoy of the UKG for Sri Lanka. Browne was snubbed by the machinations of this sinister faceless source of absolute power that lays naked the reality President Rajapakse is powerless against this organized grouping. He finds himself unable to honour a minor pledge he had given the UK Govt. Browne says in exasperation “It is difficult to understand why they (President Rajapakse’s GoSL) did this” Some of us have argued with greater emphasis in recent times it is this grouping that is against any form of a solution and the coming together of the Sinhalese and Tamils. This group which began with the more politicized sections of the Buddhist priesthood has gradually widened its ranks and now incudes the army, the police, the navy, the air-force, Sinhala Buddhist “big business” groups like Nawaloka Mudalali, Dasa Mudalali, DSI Group from the Galle District (Note the Colombo businessman Nahil Wijesuriya backed-financed the JHU and Ariyapala Wickramanayake of Master Divers backed the JVP). Several influential sections of the private and public banks, the State services are all now part of this group. They have been brain-washed the Tamil struggle is linked to “Indian expansionsm” and is part of an international conspiracy to undermine the Sinhalese”. They have been further assured the plums of office in the armed forces, the Police, business, industry, real-estate (both residential and commercial) etc will all be in their hands with a very small percentage going out to Tamils and other minorities for cosmetic purposes. Naturally, these assurances coming from the very top of those holding real power is difficult to resist. The other point to consider is if there is a settlement even with international nudging, these sinister forces will lose their grip in the country’s economic and political cake. So why not keep the country in flames throughout, as has been the case in the past 3 decades, is an option they will not contest. The Tamil civilians are used as sacrificial lamb in the process. “The international community has a moral obligation to act to stop the killing of innocent civialians” the responsible thoughts of Rev Jesse Jackson should find appropriate and early expression to the Lankan woe of the day. An appropriate set of actions to get Rajpakse and his out of control GoSL to fall in line should also include suitable reprimands against the LTTE that has held Tamil civilians as hostages and, in some instances, indulged in abductions, killing and other forms of extreme terror on its own people.
ISS
Excellent move.
I think the entire Tamil community in the world is now slowly coming together to handle the SL State terrorrism and the unfair stand took by the IC, effectively. - I believe by going for talks Tamils will not achieve anything. If the Tamils go for talks, the Terrorist state will tell them what they are planning to do and they will implement that solution over your heads whether the Tamils like it or not. Going for talks at this stage might be detrimental, as it may give legitimacy to MR's agenda, and kill the Tamil struggle.
The Tamils first need to show defiance. This is critical, to show it to the IC that by crushing the Tamil liberation fighters they cannot crush the Tamil struggle or Tamil's aspirations. The worlwide Tamils and now the SL Tamils (through TNA) has spoken defiance. - The Terrorist State and its friendly IC powers are expecting the Tamils to fall on their feet surrendering their right to freedom to avoid Genocide. But the learnt Tamils are defiant as they know in either case, second class treatment is the outcome. - Tamils neither trust the Terrorist state (Sorry, democractically elected terrorist state)nor the IC at this point.
As a second step, the world Tamils should form a body to give boast to the SL Tamil struggle. Recently, able Tamils from 22 countries met in London, and it is a very good sign. This body should be made up of world Tamils, and NOT just SL Tamils living outside SL. As I mentioned before, this body should have a VERY CLEAR OBJECTIVE of supporting the aspirations of the SL Tamils LIVING IN SL. At this point in time, TNA is the elected respresentatives of the Tamils. This objective is simply to avoid the births of Karuna/Pillaiyan/Sangaree/Deva and other hyenas international level. If this body is allowed to tell what the solution should be for SL Tamils, then this body will not remain in one piece, as we Tamils do not work very well as a Team unless there is a ruthless and abled leader like VP.
Also, unless there is another free and fair elections in the north and east, conducted and supervised by UN (Not by SL/Indian authorities), the last mandate given by Tamils back in 1977 should be upheld by this world Tamil body. - If the Terrorist state or IC, thinks otherwise they should allow the UN to hear the voice of SL Tamil people in a form of UN referendum.
This two step approach will be very effective as this world Tamil body members are outside the reach of the white vans and SL defense forces. If the SL Tamils continue to show defiance in SL, any halfbaked solution the SL govt implements to eye wash the IC, UN and IMF, will remain as an eye wash.
I am sure the world Tamils will not surrender their brethern in SL to State terrorism or IC intimidation.
Jesse Jackson has spoken without knowing correct situation in Sri Lanka. Tamil diasapora has given wrong picture about Sri Lanka. Tamils in the North are not concerened about all what he said. Go to a IDP camp and speak with people. They will tell what they want and what they have experienced. Only those who live outside Sri Lanka are talking about all these violations. I ask all the Tamils in foreign countries to call there relative and friends in Sri Lanka and ask about there aspirations.
Dear Patriot/Anpan,
you can fool some of the people all the time but not all the people all the time it is pay back time the sinister force is going to be exposed it is true the president does not have any power if he cannot keep his word to the British PM over a simple mattar how could his govt keep his word regarding any settlement the intervention of the UN to implement the 1977 declaration is the only way Aanpan sorry somtimes we do back the wrong horse viva Thamil ELLAM
Nathen
There is a little problem Anpan. The following would be more appropriate IF Justice prevails equally
1. Pledge to give full corporation to the murder trial of Mr Gandhi PROVIDED INDIA CORPORATE WITH WAR CRIMES AGAINST IPKF ( THE COIN HAS TWO SIDES)
2. Pledge to commence a process of decommissioning of arms if the UN/Co-chairs are prepared to come up with an armed peace keeping mission in the Northeast. PROVIDED A COMPLETE DEMILITARIZATION AND DEMINING OF THE NORTHEAST OTHER THAN A UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE
3. Pledge to respect the rule of zero tolerance on recruiting child soldiers PROVIDED NO MORE NEED OF CONFLICT AND ALL CHILDREN WERE GIVEN ACCESS TO EDUCATION, HEALTH AND ALIVIATE THE POVERTY OR JOB TRAINING
4. In the environment of normalcy pledge to pursue a non-violent campaign for SELF RULE WITH RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION IN THE TRADITIONAL TAMIL HOMELAND.
5. COMPENSATION FOR THE WAR VICTIMS AND CARE OF THE VETERANS ( REGARDLESS OF THE GROUP AFFILIATION.
6. UN SPONSORED ELECTION AFTER 3-5 YEARS OF RESETTLEMENT
Dear Anpan and Patriot( hope you both sinhalayo)
Please you go first and find out in every tamil areas including every corner of tamil ealam and find your self weather they want saparation or keep on making sizling love with sinhala domination of their life. If you beleive let the international media or community find out true situation. Please dont be fool your self.
Dear MR/MRS PATRIOT,
Commenting a comment is not very ice, however as a fellow Sri Lankan i must educate you in this matter, which is, i do not know your age but i am sure you are aware of state media, those peole in IDP camps responded to the media under duress.Most of the educate viwers only watch state media news just to find the daily currency rate, dot you knew this?
Forget about LTTE, As a fellow singhala lankan what did you done to help your fellow Tamil innocent people? did'nt you watch DR.BRIAN SENEWIRATNE's you tube collection. Please watch, google his name and please pray for all the lankans, INDIA does not like lankans to be unite.
Let us ask the fundemental question, what are the grievances of the Tamil people over the last five decades, especially last three decades. If it is discrimination in education and employment, how valid are those grivances now and in the last twenty five years since the war began. No doubt there has been discrimination by government and agencies, but if you take a close look beyond the rehtoric, problems faced by Tamil youth are similar to those of other sections of the community.It is basically due to failed language and education policies of successive governments since independence. That is why there is also a large Singhalese, Burgher and Muslim section of Sri Lankans in the international Diaspora. So called grivances are based on discrimination in employment in public sector which is no longer attractive. Education is being progressively privatised in the south. There are universities in the north and east. Private sector is booming in the south. Wealth of the country is in the Private sector, which in turn is owned largely by minorities including Tamils who are doing very well.
Tigers have succeeded in raising billions of dollars from the Tamil Diaspora to conduct a war to satisfy the ambitions of a small group of people, resulting in loss of thousands of lives, loss of homes and hundreds of thousands of refugees. What have they achieved for the Tamil community in the last three decades?
It is time for a new leadership to emerge out of a failed war and lead the Tamils to a better future. We need to look beyond the heat of the moment.No doubt abuses and violations have been commited by both sides in this war especially over the last several months when it intensified. But let us not get hoodwinked into continuing a war for another three or more decades which can effectively destroy what is left of the Tamil community in the north and east. There is a need to redirect the wealth of the Tamil Diaspora to productive ventures in the north and east in business and industry and education.
Priority for the present is emancipation of Tamil people from war and conflict, hunger and poverty and despair. This can only be realized by peaceful means through dialouge and negotiations. We need to end this culture of confrontation and conflict against the government and people in the south. It is only after that we can negotiate for a political solution including autonomy for the north and east.
What is this traditional Tamil homeland? There is no such a homeland in Sri Lanka.Why dont go and try in India!That must be a nice try!
Tamil patriot
When the conflict started we did not have war, hunger, poverty and despair which seem to be the government made priority NOW.
You are missing the bigger picture as "SOMETHING" is clouding your mind or are we embraced with plenty of "short term memory" and; lack of long term memory.
A suggested reading for the "TAMIL" patriot is
http://transcurrents.com/tc/2009/03/how_singapore_has_unity_and_wh.html#more
You Pundits are all trying to treat the symptoms and totally missing the disease which is slowly killing the patient with more and more new symptoms.
When I met an RCMP cop once in Canada and we were talking about Dual citizenship (Canada and USA), he told me, People like to carry both passports for various reasons.
If you are an American Citizen you are likely unsafe in the outside world, However, if you are in Trouble, USA will use every effort to secure your freedom.
THAT IS WHERE ONCE PATRIOTISM AND LOVE OF THEIR COUNTRY COMES, in which case, Tamils don't have anything because their "Country is willing to kill over 4000 people to kill 200 tigers". Of course they are fighting a terror group and of course they are all in the Tamils.
In Srilanka, whether in 1959 or 2009, a Tamil Woman who love to wear a POTTU (the Dot in her Forehead) out side Northeast (except in upcountry and some parts of Colombo) is NIL. Because this identify her has "TAMIL WOMAN" and the likelihood she will be raped, arrested or killed is very high.
My dear "TAMIL" Patriot, in Srilanka Democracy exists because they have 'ELECTIONS” and then what?
My dear “TAMIL" Patriot, A peaceful Divorce is better than an Ugly Domestic Violence.
Here is a good question for your thoughts
An Interviewer once said we don't discriminate people based on Color or sex. We only test some spelling and if they pass, we give them the job.
Here is the question
Candidate # 1 ( Sinhalese): How do you Spell CAT
Candidate # 2 ( Tamil): How do you Spell Czechoslovakia
I guess there is no Discrimination here, I guess they are only testing the Spelling.
Saman March 28, 2009 11:29 PM
What is this traditional Tamil Homeland?
Please get hold of a copy of Sri Lankan map; ask the SL Air Force WHERE they exactly dropped their bombs during the last 3 decades; also find out, during the last 3 decades whenever racial riots broke out, WHERE Tamils were off loaded from the South by sea, air and land because the state could not protect them in the South.
Now if you take a colour pencil and paint these areas you will see the traditional Tamil Homeland.
You do not get too upset about the concept of Homelands: Scottish in Scotland; Welsh in Wales; Tibetians in Tibet etc
Nam
I miss your point, I think. Tell me when VP was appointed as the High Court judge to pass death sentence on Rajiv Gandhi.
Your utterences will keep the LTTE under near-international proscription for ever.
There is no such a homeland in Sri Lanka.Dont get upset. Thats the truth.By living in areas for hundred of years or by bombing certain areas against terrorism, doesnt make any sense for homeland.I am quiet sure you can find more clues for homeland concept in Southern part of India rather than in Sri Lanka.We need to live in peace and harmony as Sri Lankan.Not like Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims.Everyone except extreamists, love to live in peace.It is very easy to find a reason to fight.But it is very difficult restore peace and harmony among communities!
Excellent choice of keynote speaker in the person of Rev Jesse Jackson to the Conference, by British Tamils Forum and their Parliamentary backers APPG-T.
While Rev Jackson's insistence on non-violence is highly noble in the true spirit of Martin Luther King, millions of progressive-mined white Americans, including the Kennedys in the north to Lyndon B Johnson in the south did support wholeheartedly the end of segregation of blacks. Where as in Sri Lanka, that level of political activism by the civil society and therefore the populace at large is conspicuously absent. If the civil society in Sri Lanka were politically active they would have prevented the inexorable deterioration of political culture in the south which would not only have benefitted the Sinhalese, but would also have benefitted the Tamils in the north.
Unfortunately, when things turn for the worse in a polity millions of good people lose interest in politics, and let ruffians and barbarians take control. The whole of the southern polity are beguiled to varying degree to one of most insidious form of dangerous, backward doctrine of Sinhala-Buddhist supremacism – its influence is subliminal and total on its target audience of Sinhala-Buddhists. The chief characteristic of this baneful supremacist doctrine is that its exponents believe that those who embrace this pernicious concept unreservedly are Believers; others are non-Believers. Believers then relentlessly persecute and annihilate the non-Believers. In doing so the so-called Believers miss the point. They only seek and find non-Believers and not God. Hence, the so-called non-Believers are wittingly exalted to become their God!
Rev. Jackson is an extremely influential politician and one of the foremost civil rights activists in the world today. His support in canvassing opinion amongst the international community is very valuable indeed to put an immediate end to the genocidal killings in Tamil homeland and in particular in the safe zone in the Vanni. Once the war is ended and the people are provided with humanitarian assistance, action should be taken to dismantle those despicable Concentration Camps to imprison innocent Tamil civilians.
Lord Falconer took a long term view of the genocidal war against Tamils by the Sinhala fascist State and concluded rightly that Westminster-style model would not be suitable for Sri Lanka – I suspect he implies secession as the only viable way forward!