Tamils in the Diaspora and in the homeland are loudly, clearly and collectively are calling for a referendum as the solution for a permenant political solution

TORONTO, CANADA, September 10, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- To the utter dismay of Eezham Tamil's a statement released on August 23rd 2021, signed by eight organizations claiming to be the leading Tamil Diaspora organizations stated;

"We, the undersigned leading Tamil Diaspora organizations across the world, wish to express our views on some aspects of any future political negotiations with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL)............

"We note the recent chatter about political negotiations between the Tamil side and the Government of Sri Lanka through the auspices........Therefore, we firmly express that any negotiations need to happen with international arbitration for their successful conclusion. We appeal to the global power, the United States, the regional power India and UK, EU, Canada where majority of the Tamils took refuge, to formulate a comprehensive strategy and lead in these processes as arbitrators in any negotiations and to guarantee the implementation of subsequent agreements."

Though the majority of these organizations have existed for over a decade, their claim to be the leading Tamil diaspora organizations cannot be considered valid.

It should be noted; that, among other major Tamil organizations, the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), and the USTPAC also have, over the years, diplomatically engaged with the major powers, especially the United States, without any fanfare in regards to the Tamil National question.

Among all these organizations; the TGTE is not only the largest in numbers; but also seen as the government in exile for the Tamils, both in the GOSL as well as some prominent diplomatic circles.

These eight organizations, in their statement, have indicated as their firm expression; the arbitration by major world powers. In legal terms, the major powers are being requested to be the decision makers, of the Eezham Tamils' fate in any negotiations with the GOSL, a request that does not fall within the scope of Tamils' aspirations.

As decisions arrived through arbitration are binding and final, in the event of an arbitration as prescribed by these organizations, and any decision arrived at, will be detrimental to the Tamils and their aspirations; as it is common practice that, when it comes to settling political disputes between two nations, the geopolitical gains for the arbitrator's are factored in the final decision. Thus any solution disregarding the Tamils' aspirations will be another Mullivaikkaal.

And as the good old saying credited to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States;"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time," - these eight organizations cannot fool the Tamil people all the time.

Further, their request to the major powers to arbitrate; in essence, has betrayed the Eezham Tamils both in the Diaspora and in the homeland. Their request is sheer treason. "Traitors are more dangerous than enemies." quoted the Tamil National leader Hon. Velupillai Prabhakaran, and indeed, these organizations are seen as more dangerous than enemies by the intellectuals and alike in the Tamil Diaspora and homland today.

Hence, the regional super power India, the global super power the United states, the former colonial power the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada, home for the largest Tamil Diaspora; any attempts to find a lasting solution to the Tamils' national question should give due consideration to the aspirations of the Tamils' both in the Diaspora and within Ceylon (Sri lanka). Most interestingly, NCCT, one of the signatories to the statement, was the organization that was fooling the Canadian Tamils with the slogan Referendum 2020, and now they have made a U-turn and signed on a document asking for arbitration instead.

What Tamils need is not arbitration but a final solution that fully considers, guarantees and respects the Tamils' aspirations to live in dignity in their historical and traditional homelands enjoying their independence and exercising their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

To this end, the TGTE as the government of the Tamil Diaspora,has called on the international actors to consider facilitating an internationally supervised referendum with victims' participation for a political solution. Amidst all the intimidation and supression of freedoms of expression; this very same demand has been put forth by civil organizations that signed the joint statement issued at the P2P rally in January 2021 and by former Chief Minister of the Northern Province CV Wigneswaran, who is the leader of a four party alliance.

When the Tamils in the Diaspora and in the homeland are loudly,clearly and collectively are calling for a referendum as the solution for a permenant political solution that will satisfy the Tamils' aspirations, these eight organizations calling for arbitration, surrenders into the hands of the major powers, the Right to Self determination of the Tamils.

Further, these organizations should bear in mind; that, an independent nations' sovereignty and its people were wrongfully left in the hand of the Sinhalese by the British in 1948. And after 72 years of ongoing genocide perpetrated against the Tamils by the Sinhalese, and the continuous oppression in the hands of the Sinhalese; a sensible people of a Nation State, will never endorse, organizations that surrender the rightful aspirations, for petty political gains and claim to be the leaders of the Tamil people.

The political tensions and the daily changing geopolitics due to the growing Chinese influance, warrant the regional power India and the west to take stock of the situation, and factor in the Northeast of Sri Lanka, its Tamil inhabitants and their call for referendum in any solution to sustain India's territorial integrity and to maintain peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region.

Having in view, the Indian Ocean regional geopolitics, these eight organizations desiring to be part of any negotiations is their right; but, that right has to be endorsed by the wider Tamil Diaspora and the people in the homeland.

With no understanding of this stark reality and ignoring the Tamils' aspirations and call for a referendum; these organizations, calling themselves the leading Tamil Diaspora organizations, are only making a mockery of their own selves.

Written by: Roy G. Wignarajah

Web: www.theceylontimes.ca


Below, please find the Full Text of the statemen calling for Arbitration:

23 August 2021

Worldwide Tamil Diaspora Organizations Call for International Arbitration in Negotiations with Sri Lanka for a Political Solution

We, the undersigned leading Tamil diaspora organizations across the world, wish to express our views on some aspects of any future political negotiations with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL).

We wish to record at the outset that the over 1 million Tamils of Eelam origin now living in the diaspora were forced out of Sri Lanka due to the repeated cycles of violence and genocide against Tamils in the island. We wish to assert our right to return to our homeland, and hence we are stakeholders in any negotiation and formulation of a political solution to bring lasting peace and coexistence of the multi- ethnic and multi-religious communities in Sri Lanka.

Our organizations have consistently contributed to the efforts to secure the human rights and

political rights of Tamils through our advocacy with our host governments and by engagement with bilateral and multilateral policy making centres in international fora, the Global North, and the regional power India.

Considering the current regional instability in and around the island of Sri Lanka and the potentially worsening future trajectory on the island as warned by human rights bodies, we request the international community to intervene and take appropriate steps to bring about a just solution to the longstanding Tamil National Question in Sri Lanka.

To this end, we note the recent chatter about political negotiations between the Tamil side and the Government of Sri Lanka through the auspices of the United States government with active support from the Government of India. While welcoming the role of India and the United States in political negotiations with the GoSL to solve the long-standing legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people, it is also necessary to point out the fate of past direct negotiations with the GoSL, and the abysmal history of abrogated pacts by the Sinhalese leaders.

Therefore, we firmly express that any negotiations need to happen with international arbitration for their successful conclusion. We appeal to the global power, the United States, the regional power India and UK, EU, Canada where majority of the Tamils took refuge, to formulate a comprehensive strategy and lead in these processes as arbitrators in any negotiations and to guarantee the implementation of subsequent agreements. We also request our host governments in Europe, the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia, and South Africa to actively support and encourage such engagement with all available political, human rights and economic instruments at their disposal. And on any outcome, we once again reiterate the rights and responsibilities of the global Tamil diaspora as appropriate stakeholders.

Roy G. Wignarajah
The Ceylon Times
+1 416-457-1633
theceylontimes@gmail.com