Understanding obstacles in structuring people’s struggle for self-determination

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 September 2013, 18:07 GMT]
How do we save national struggles from decimation and structure these struggles as people-centric? This is the uppermost question we have to address in right earnest, observed, Mr Saba Navalan, the editor of inioru.com in the UK, in reading a paper on Sri Lanka’s case study in the 21st century’s movements for self-determination, at an EU-level conference convened by IBON International that took place in the European Parliament last Monday. According to Mr Navalan’s observations, an obstacle in the realization of self-determination is that the upper layer of each ethnic group is held by pro-imperial forces and despite having fundamental contradiction, the upper middle class, in the absence of national capitalism, is comfortable about its association with the pro-imperial class.

Mr Saba Navalan addressing the ‘Conference on Democracy, Self-Determination and Liberation of Peoples’ held at the European Parliament complex in Brussels on 23 September, 2013.

The struggle for right to self-determination is closely associated with anti-imperialism. But in the case of the struggle of Tamils in the island, all their liberation movements were somehow associated with the major imperial powers, which historically destroyed national struggles in various parts of the world. How this is possible? How those fundamentally contradictory forces collaborate with each other, Navalan touched on a question still unaddressed by the incumbency leadership of Eezham Tamils, while facts clearly show who are the ultimate adversaries and where the struggle has to be addressed at now.

The island’s war generation has learnt a political lesson. At least a small section of population now understands what imperialism is taking place. This section of population looks up to the struggle of other oppressed nationalities, instead of looking up to the super powers, Navalan observed.

“The new generation of the oppressed ethnic groups recognizes the struggle of those fighting for self-determination in Kurdistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and Baluchistan, which was not the case during the past 30 years of war. Thus, the powers, which targeted the self-determination struggle, have inadvertently helped the innocent people learn lasting and valuable political lessons,” he further observed.

The IBON conference was on Democracy, Self-Determination and Liberation of Peoples. Two MEPs of European United Left–Nordic Green Left and the Greens/ European Free Alliance have supported the initiative.

The conference call cited the proclamation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 60 years ago; 1976 Algiers declaration stressing on collective rights and the right to fight for liberation by peoples under foreign or local oppression and the1986 UN General Assembly approval on the collective rights, and has said that today these rights are in danger. However, the conference call was carefully avoiding the word nations.

• Saba Navalan's paper on the Sri Lankan case study of 21st century's movements for self-determination

• Details of the Conference on Democracy, Self-Determination and Liberation of Peoples

While pro-imperial upper layer and collaborating upper middle class are impediments in leading the Tamil struggle in the anti-imperialist direction, certain ‘socialist’ sections that are no less different from the imperialists in harping on a ‘united Sri Lanka’ for their own ‘geopolitics’, are also equally an obstacle, commented Tamil activists for alternative politics in the island, citing at a recent article in the World Socialist Web Site by Mr K. Ratnayake that appeared on 31 August.

Mr K. Ratnayake of the Socialist Equality Party of Sri Lanka, who was responding to a TamilNet feature of 1st July by a Tamil activist for alternative politics, was challenging a statement in the feature saying that “Mr Ratnayake, who overlooks the Tamils’ struggle for sovereignty resisting genocidal occupation of their homeland by the GoSL, is consciously or unconsciously defending the state structure that he claims to criticize.”

“The SEP rejects the claim of the Eezham activist that the failure to support the demand for a separate Eelam means support for the unitary genocidal Sri Lankan state,” Ratnayake said.

“The Eezham activist, TamilNet and the various Tamil bourgeois parties can keep peddling the lie that some form of self-determination or a separate capitalist state is the sole solution for Tamils, only by maintaining a complete silence on the political lessons of the war,” he accused.

Talking of a “fight for socialism in Sri Lanka and internationally,” Ratnayake was harping on a “revolutionary struggle to establish the socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Eelam.

What is the ideological justification for keeping the island as one unit in the struggle for socialism, when the manifestations of oppression faced by Eezham Tamils and Sinhalese are identifiably and provably different in the island for several decades now, the Tamil activist asked.

It is for the imperial powers of geopolitical greed, the foremost agenda is to keep the island as one unit, whatever the cost may be – even if it is genocide. Do the ‘socialists’ also have the same ‘geopolitics’ in their outlook for bringing in ‘World Socialism’; asked the activist.

The Tamil National Alliance and other parties are lining up with US imperialism as it prepares for conflict against China after a decade of brutal neo-colonial war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria, Ratnayake observed.

He may be partly right about the gagged and hapless ‘bourgeois’ politicians of Tamils, who may be taking that line hoping for at least crumps to come out of it. But why should they worry about the Establishment in China, the activist asked.

Ratnayake traces the origins of anti-imperialism of socialist and internationalist perspective in the island to Trotskyist Bolshevik Leninist Party of India in the 1940s. The origins of Left movement among Eezham Tamils were much earlier than that. There were a series of occasions for Eezham Tamils to steer the course of their struggle with a Left orientation.

But every time it was thwarted and discredited within the Tamil public by the Left in the South refusing to see Tamils as a nation, by they harping on one socialist State that would ostensibly and automatically give the leadership to ‘majoritarian socialists’ and by the endorsement this brand of Leftism was getting from the then international godfathers of socialism or communism.

The World Socialist Web Site has not changed in any way from that ‘heritage’, even after seeing how the one-State policy of both the bourgeois imperialists and social imperialists has led to the genocide in the island. It will not change ether, if the priority of ‘socialist geopolitics’ too is to provide space for the one-State mania of majoritarianism in the island, the Tamil activist commented.

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British trade unions unequivocally support Tamils’ right to self-determination

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 June 2013, 22:48 GMT]
Representatives of mainstream British trade unions, student unions, solidarity groups and Tamil activists came together on “Solidarity Day” in London on Saturday, unconditionally supporting the Eezham Tamils nation’s right to self-determination. Tamil attendees of the event termed it a landmark meeting considering the principled support given by major British grassroots organizations to the fundamental demands of the Tamil nation. The British trade-union speakers at the event also promised to take further initiatives to take the Tamil issue to other trade unions across the country.

Likewise, commenting on the decision of the British PM David Cameron to visit Sri Lanka for the CHOGM meeting, Martin Powell Davies from the National Union of Teachers opined that this was a shame and in the future both Mr. Cameron and the country would regret this.

Claire Laker-Mansfield, a feminist activist from ‘Rape is No Joke’, criticized sexual abuse being continued to be used systematically by the Sri Lankan state against the Tamils.

Full text of the press statement issued by Tamil Solidary, one of the organisers of the event, follows:

Saturday 8 June 2013

Solidarity Day success – event has potential to be a ‘historic event’

The Solidarity Day held in London today has been a great success.

Organised by Tamil Solidarity and the British Tamils Forum, it brought together people from the Tamil community with representatives of the trade unions, the student movement and a number of other campaigns.

Participants denounced the decision to go ahead with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka in November, demanding that the decision to send Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince Charles to that meeting is reversed.

Claire Laker-Mansfield, chair of student campaign Rape Is No Joke, expressed disgust at the “complicity of the British government with the Sri Lankan regime”. The millions-strong National Union of Students has affiliated to Tamil Solidarity, pledging support for the struggle of the Tamil-speaking people. Claire said that students would have to campaign against the CHOGM meeting taking place.

The Solidarity Day marked a significant step forward in the struggle for Tamil rights, above all by strengthening the links with the trade union movement.

A number of leading trade union activists spoke at the second rally. Hugo Pierre, Unison activist and convenor in Camden schools, spoke of his visits in the past to Sri Lanka when it was clear from discussion with workers in the south and in the tea plantations that the Bandaranaike was preparing the state machinery for further reprisals against the Tamils.

He also spoke about how impressed he’d been in 2009 with the courage of the young people, who like himself, were born of immigrant parents but grew up here wanting to fight repression at home and in Britain.

Unions organise over six million working people in Britain. Not only do they campaign for their members’ interests in the workplace, and against attacks on the education, health and other public services, they also have a long history of campaign against injustice internationally.

Chris Baugh is the assistant general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), one of the most radical and active unions in Britain. He said that ‘solidarity’ was not just a nice idea but a most powerful weapon in the fight against the international neoliberal consensus that sees the likes of Cameron collaborating with the war criminal Rajapaksa.

He said, “PCS needs to follow the example of all unions and build solidarity with Tamils against repressive regimes and complicit governments.”

Martin Powell-Davies, member of the national executive of the biggest teachers union, the NUT, said that if Tamils and trade unionists work together, building awareness of the struggle of Tamils and building the trade unions as fighting bodies against all repression, Cameron will live to regret his participation in the CHOGM meeting.

In addition to speakers from the trade unions, the Solidarity Day also included campaigners from Turkey and Nepal, and on the campaign against the right-wing, anti-Muslim Bodu Bala Sena in Sri Lanka – among many others.

Especially among the young people there was a feeling that a big step had been taken in understanding how to fight back.

Civil Society insists on pre-constitutional recognition of Tamil nation

3RD LEAD (Adds TCS document)

Civil Society insists on pre-constitutional recognition of Tamil nation, self-determination

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 February 2013, 01:41 GMT]

In a set of preliminary points submitted at a conference held in Berlin, 26-27 January, facilitated by the Berghof Foundation, the Tamil Civil Society (TCS) from the island insisted on “pre-constitutional recognition of Tamil nationhood and self-determination” before Tamils could sit down and debate institutional proposals for a constitutional design within a united Sri Lanka. Such recognition “does not mean a separate state,” the TCS added. The Tamil Civil Society or any other party or group based in the island are not free bodies to comprehensively or authentically talk on the issue as they are bound by the 6th Amendment of the constitution of the genocidal State of Sri Lanka. Such organisations should first insist on the IC and its outfits to create conditions going beyond the 6th Amendment to have honest discussion on the issue, commented new generation Tamil activists in the island.

The Berghof Foundation was facilitating the conference convened by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) on “Exploring Peaceful Options,” and the January meet was Part 2 of the deliberations.

The TCS functioning in the island sent its points in absentia to the conference.

After designing and executing demolition of the military balance of Eezham Tamils, complete occupation of their country by the Sinhala military, ever increasing permanent militarisation in every sphere of life in the occupied land and the actively on-going colonisation to annihilate Tamil territoriality, the International Community of Establishments, through outfits run by them, expecting Tamil representatives from the island bound by the 6th Amendment of the SL constitution to come out with proposals, is nothing but drilling them or prodding them through pre-meditated avenues, the new generation Tamil activists said.

* * *

• Tamil Civil Society submission of preliminary points to the Berghof - GTF Berlin Conference

The Tamil Civil Society in the island, with its constrains, has nevertheless touched certain points such as the need of a “new social contract drawn between the different constituent nations” in the island, and the Tamil polity’s right to be an equal partner in the contract.

The TCS, in arguing for such a new social contract to keep the island together, has also deconstructed the aura behind certain formulas as not suitable to the context. Having the 13th Amendment even as a starting point or reference point under the unitary constitution, or a Federal constitution under the hierarchical state of Sinhala-Buddhist domination, would not work, the points submitted by the TCS expounded.

While acknowledging the distinct politics of Muslims and Up-Country Tamils, and the need to leave their political decisions to them, the TCS called upon the Tamil side to think of solidarity, responses to concerns and to come out with a white paper on its stand.

The TCS, citing the example of the constitutional processes leading to the Scotland Act of 1998, urged the Tamil political parties to come out with a wider forum to facilitate the empowerment of people, articulation of aspirations for political solutions and democratic legitimacy to the aspirations.

As a gradual follow up, TCS advocated a referendum, saying that the Tamil political parties should ‘slowly start building a discourse asking for the Tamils to be given an opportunity’ for a referendum.

* * *

When there is no international mechanism to restore and protect the balance in ground reality and in thought process, models and roadmaps explored within parameters set by a genocidal State and by an abetting International Community of Establishments (ICE), are as futile as the 13th Amendment under a unitary state and a Federal model under an ethno-hierarchical state, the new generation political activists in the island commented.

Further comments from the activists:

Even when there was a military balance, exploration exercises undertaken by outfits such as Berghof Foundation served only a smokescreen for processes leading to the genocidal war and demolition of that balance by the ICE.

The very milieu now directly imposed on Tamils living in the island and indirectly imposed on Tamils in the diaspora tagged behind the outfits of the ICE that Tamils should think only within limits set by the 6th Amendment of the SL constitution, does in no way bring in “equal partner” status to them to freely think of entering into a “social contract.”

Equal partnership, nationhood and self-determination cannot be presented as mere words, having only symbolic values that don't exist in practice, just to satisfy the Tamil elite ego and to help them to lure the collective ego.

The nation of Eezham Tamils may eventually think of fitting into a EU model in South Asia, but by its legacy and context it cannot end up like the First Nations in Canada or like Scotland, Northern Ireland etc., in the UK.

On the question of Muslims and Up-Country Tamils, the white paper of the nation of Eezham Tamils has to convince them on not only its secular and inclusive outlook, but also on the point that how its status in the island would ensure the existence of self-respect to all the Tamil-speaking peoples wherever they live in the island, like the status of Chinese in Singapore ensuring the status of Chinese in Malaysia.

If all the international forces envisage only a united island, the appropriate process in a post-genocidal war and occupation context is not social contract under compulsion and slow preparation for referendum, but separation first and space cum time for unification contract of nations. Putting oxen behind the cart is acceptance of the colonial process and pre-emption of options in a referendum, if at all it takes place.

Knowing very well the genocidal intent and mechanism of the Sinhala State and the orientation of the powers in complicity, any carelessness on the part of Tamil parties would unknowingly lead them into the lure of long drawn-out ‘non-descript’ processes now being engineered by the ICE.

Making Tamil parties to denounce the separation option and to make them commit on accepting Sri Lanka is the one and only obsession of all the outfits operated by the ICE. Besides that, there is no real interest in ‘exploring options.’ If there was any, by now they should have worked for protection of status quo and provision of ground realities. In other words, the outfits are in their second round facilitating the structural genocide war.

Tamil political parties, activists and civil movements in the island, Tamil Nadu and in the diaspora have to take extra care in committing on anything especially at junctures of engineering such as the Geneva sessions in March.

The demands have to concentrate more on matters practically facilitating ground realities such as an interim international takeover of the situation, complete removal of occupying Sinhala ethnic military and other SL security forces as the SL military now functions in police uniform, ban on colonisation and guarantee to the territorial integrity of Eezham Tamils, and free access to the diaspora to reach out to its people in the island, the new generation activists in the island commented.

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16.06.12   Declare for referendum in any unity meeting

‘Reject LLRC based solutions, work with nations without states’: Tamil Nadu activist

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 October 2012, 04:07 GMT]
Arguing that LLRC based political solutions were a trap of International Community of Establishments (ICE) to let Sri Lankan state escape prosecution for the charges of genocide and war crimes, environmental activist from Tamil Nadu, Srinivasa Rao, accused the ICE and India for abetting the genocide of the Eezham Tamils for geopolitical interests in an interview on Palak’ani. Conversing with the presenter V. Kohulan, he further appealed to activists in the Eezham Tamil diaspora to work beyond the structures of establishments to build solidarity with nations without states facing similar oppression. “Without struggle we cannot achieve our goals,” he said, urging the Eezham Tamils to join hands in struggle with other nation without states.



Mr. Srinivasan, along with fellow activist Gnanasekaran, has been on a world tour to inform people on the genocide of the Eezham Tamils’ and their demands for self-determination.

Answering a question on the role of Tamil Nadu in the past and present and whether there was an adequate response to the suffering of the Eezham Tamils, he opined that the knowledge of the genocide of Eezham Tamils had spread even to villages in TN. He also claimed that it was grassroots pressure that led the DMK to take the positions it took in the TESO conference, a shift from its earlier position of silence.

Mr. Srinivasan was of the opinion that that it was impossible for any of the two main Dravidian parties to establish government on absolute majority and hence, the pro-Tamil Eelam parties that would support them should do so on the basis of a common minimum programme keeping the interests of the genocide-affected Eezham Tamils in mind.

He also noted how New Delhi was creating “diverting tactics” in Tamil Nadu by bringing up other issues whenever demands for justice for Eezham Tamils intensified among the TN public.

The Tamil Nadu activist opined that TN parties should take it to other parties and peoples across the Indian country. He also discussed about the about the work they did in New Delhi to inform non-Tamil politicians of the genocide and also the solidarity work they were involved with in Malaysia and other countries.

Srinivasan appealed to diaspora to firmly stand by the position of genocide and be on guard against defeatist mentalities, encouraging them to build solidarity among other nations without state.

He strongly criticized those diaspora organizations and TN parties who were toeing the Western governments’ initiated step by step approach that gave legitimacy to a LLRC based political solution, also questioning the politics of failed peace-broker Mr. Erik Solheim.

Commending civil society organizations in the homeland who were taking a principled political position despite living under structural genocide, Srinivasan appealed to activists in the diaspora, who were living in democracies with no fear of white vans and other repressive measures, to remain committed to the same.

New Zealanders call for international investigation, back right to self-determination

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 August 2012, 06:51 GMT]
“We support your demand for self-determination,” said New Zealand’s parliamentary leader of the Green Party, Metiria Turei MP, speaking at an event in Auckland on Sunday, convened to remember Black July 1983. Her view was echoed by John Minto, a respected human rights activist saying, “I know you have been consistently airing your right to self determination and we support your demand because you cannot live in a country that does not recognise and respect your rights.” Labour MP and shadow foreign minister Phil Goff who spoke at the event as well as the other two guest speakers called for an international investigation on the war crimes. The Green leader announced that her party is determined to work with Australian Greens in expelling the war-crimes-accused SL High Commissioner for Australia.

Excerpts from the speeches of Guest Speakers:

Metiria Turei MP, Leader of the Parliamentary Group as well as Co-Leader of the Green Party:

Metrina Turei

We are closely watching your consistent and consolidated efforts to win your rights. You are very active and unrelenting. As a result we are familiar with the crises in Sri Lanka.

We support your demand for self-determination and will extend our support to win your goal.

We support the global demand for a transparent inquiry by an independent international tribunal into war crimes and human rights violations and crimes against humanity under international law enumerated in the report of the Experts Panel appointed by the UN Secretary- General.

I also make this announcement. Along with the Greens in Australia, we are determined to mount pressure to expel the Sri Lankan High Commissioner for Australia and New Zealand Commodore Tissara Samarasinghe, formerly of the Sri Lankan Navy.

We cannot allow people associated with human rights violations and war crimes to defile the decorum and ethics hitherto maintained in diplomatic practices.

* * *

John Minto, Human Rights Activist:

John Minto

We support the rights of all people. We voice the rights of indigenous people anywhere in the world. Rights are universal and belong to all alike. There are no minority rights and majority rights. The tyranny of the majority cannot be tolerated.

I know you have been consistently airing your right to self determination and we support your demand because you cannot live in a country that does not recognise and respect your rights – the human rights guaranteed by UN instruments.

There can’t be two words that an independent international tribunal must investigate the alleged violations of human rights and the war crimes enumerated by the report of the Experts Panel appointed by UN Secretary- General.

* * *

Phil Goff MP: shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Labour Party:

Phil Goff

Your continued consistent activities have helped us to keep abreast of the continuing atrocities committed against the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Human rights violations, crimes against humanity under international law and war crimes cannot be allowed to pass without proper investigation.

We will lend support to the growing international demand for a transparent inquiry into the alleged violations of human rights and crimes against humanity under international law and war crimes enumerated in the report of the Experts Panel appointed by the UN Secretary-General.

No reconciliation can be achieved without justice being meted out first and the victims adequately compensated. But nothing towards reconciliation has taken place in Sri Lanka except words and more words.

* * *

The event was in the form of a seminar, presided by Dr. Siva Vasanthan who called for direct UN monitoring of the processes in the island.

Mr. A. Theva Rajan spoke on the futility of expecting the regime bringing in Tamil–Sinhala goodwill and on its interference with judiciary.

Janaki Paskaran, Tharuni Ashok and R. Danisha were among the Eezham Tamil participants presenting papers on Genocide, Culture Demolition and Emerging Trends; The Quest for Justice and on A Generation Condemned to Extinction

Australian socialist calls for support to Tamils’ right to self-determination

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 July 2012, 07:47 GMT]
“Tamils should have the right to choose whether they wish to be part of a united Sri Lanka, to break away and form an independent Tamil state in their traditional homelands in the north and east of the island, or to have some intermediate form such as federalism or autonomy,” writes Chris Slee, a member of the Melbourne branch of the Socialist Alliance, in an article published on Green Left Weekly, Sunday. Noting that the support given to Sri Lanka by world powers, especially the US, in allowing the May 2009 massacre to happen and criticizing the misunderstanding of the “progressive” Latin American countries of the Tamils’ struggle, the author calls on Australians to “demand that the Australian government support the proposal for a UN-supervised referendum. We should also demand that it end all ties with the Sri Lankan army and the other repressive forces of the Sri Lankan state.”

“Our support for the right of Tamils to break away and form their own state (if they so choose) is similar to VI Lenin's policy in the Russian Revolution. He supported the right of those nationalities oppressed by the Russian empire to break away and form their own states,” Mr. Slee writes, providing briefly the background of the Leninist idea of the right of nations to self-determination, arguing that the important basis for a just political solution in the island depends on the Tamils having the right to choose their future.

Briefly writing about the history of Sri Lankan state oppression and resistance by the Eezham Tamils from peaceful protests to armed struggle, the author asserts that “The Sri Lankan government was able to win the war doe to support it got from many governments around the world.” “The United States gave many forms of aid, including weapons, equipment and training. But probably the most important form of US aid was satellite surveillance information, which enabled the Sri Lankan navy to sink boats bringing supplies to the LTTE.”

“Israel supplied aircraft that bombed the LTTE-controlled areas, and patrol boats to help sink LTTE boats.”

“Britain, India, China, Russia, Pakistan and other countries all helped the Sri Lankan armed forces in various ways.”

“US bases in Australia played a key role in communicating with the satellites that provided surveillance information to the Sri Lankan armed forces.”

“Even the progressive governments of Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia did not support the Tamil struggle. Although not involved militarily, they expressed political support for the Sri Lankan government. They viewed the LTTE merely as a terrorist organisation, not recognising the national oppression that gave rise to the armed struggle.”

Referring to the military occupation of the homeland of the Tamils, the author notes that “Sinhalese settlements are expanding, in a similar way to the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Land is also being given to foreign capitalists” and that owing to this many displaced Tamils are unable to return to their homes and farms.

Suggesting that Tamils need to win allies among the Muslims and progressive Sinhala forces in the South, Mr. Slee adds that “Internationally, Tamils need to continue their efforts to educate people about the situation in Sri Lanka. While continuing to mobilise Tamils for demonstrations, they need to also involve non-Tamils more. Demands that need to be raised include freedom for political prisoners, the dismantling of military bases in the occupied Tamil areas and the right of displaced Tamils to return to their homes and farms.”

The author concludes with a call to Australians that “We should demand that the Australian government support the proposal for a UN-supervised referendum. We should also demand that it end all ties with the Sri Lankan army and the other repressive forces of the Sri Lankan state,” and “We must demand an end to the persecution of Tamil refugees, some of whom are detained in Australia as "security risks", presumably on the basis of misinformation supplied by the racist Sri Lankan government.”

External Links:

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Sri Lanka: Socialists must support Tamil rights, self-determination

Canadian civil activists vow support to Tamil struggle for national liberation

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 November 2011, 00:05 GMT]
In a significant move after Canada's largest peace organisation, the Canadian Peace Alliance and Canada’s largest trade union, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, recently resolving to support Eezham Tamils Right to Self-Determination, hundreds of non-Tamil activists in Canada have taken part in the Pongku Thamizh rally, the biggest politico-cultural event held Saturday afternoon by Canadian Tamils after 2009 Mu'l'livaaykkaal genocide. “The struggle for Tamil Eelam is legitimate and represents the essence of human dignity and justice. We will continue to unequivocally support Tamil student organizers as the struggle for national liberation moves into the international sphere,” said James Clark, the organizer of the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War while addressing the thousands who thronged the Queen's Park in Toronto.

Thousands of people gather at Queen's Park for Pongku Thamizh

James Clark, organizer of the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War

Sandy Hudson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students—Ontario

Tamil Youth Organisation-Canada members rally up the crowd

Jim Karygiannis, Liberal MP from Scarborough-Agincourt addressing the gathering

Angela Reignier, Communications Director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers

A number of solidarity activists from civil society and grassroots movements across Canada addressed the gathering.

“In 2009, the mass demonstrations by the Tamil community inspired many of the people now involved with Occupy Toronto, said Jesse McLaren, an emergency room doctor and activist with Occupy Toronto.

“We wanted to join the Tamil Freedom Rally and to continue building solidarity between different struggles against oppression,” Jesse McLaren said.

The event firmly re-articulated the principles of Tamil nation, homeland, and self-determination.

“We are disturbed that two years after the end of the war—marred by grave allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity—the Sri Lankan government still refuses to provide a political solution that addresses the political demand for self-determination, ” said Pablo Vivanco, an organizer with the Latin American Solidarity Network.

“As a Latin American, I understand the brutal consequences of imperialism and the subsequent necessity of a liberation struggle. I stand with you in solidarity for Tamil freedom and independence from Sri Lankan genocide,” Mr. Vivanco further said.

Members of the Jaffna University Students’ Union are facing violent persecution and intimidation at the hands of the Sri Lankan intelligence apparatus. In the last month alone, the President of the Students’ Union and another member were brutally attacked for being critical of the Sri Lankan occupation.

“The Canadian Student Movement will continue to support Tamil students and their struggle for freedom in Canada,” said Sandy Hudson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students—Ontario. “We call on the Sri Lankan government to immediately stop its campaign of terror against the student organizers of Tamil Eelam.”

“We will continue working with students around the world to build international solidarity for Tamil students living under constant military rule” said Priyanth, spokesperson for the Tamil Youth Organization—Canada. “We demand the release of all political prisoners and an end to the occupation of our homeland in the NorthEast,” Priyanth said.

The speakers at the Pongu Tamil rally spoke strongly in favour of international campaign to end the genocide of the Tamil people and a sustainable political solution based on self-determination were James Clark, (organizer, Toronto Coalition to Stop the War), Sid Lacombe (coordinator, Canadian Peace Alliance), Sandy Hudson (Chairperson, Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario); John Cartwright (President, Toronto & North York Region Labour Council); Carolyn Egan (President, Toronto Area Council of the United Steel Workers); Pablo Vivanco (organizer with the Latin American Solidarity Network), Angela Reignier (Communications Director, Canadian Association of University of Teachers); Abdalla Al-Baalawy (Vice President External, Scarborough Campus Students’ Union); Jagmeet Singh (New Democratic Party, Member of Provincial Parliament); Bhawan Kaur (organizer, Sikh Activist Network); and Jim Karygiannis (Liberal Party, Member of Parliament).

The event was covered in both the Tamil community media and by mainstream national and local media. Mainstream television, radio, and print media in Canada referred to the Pongku Thamizh rally as the “Tamil Rally for Freedom” and described the thousands of flags at the rally as the flags of Tamil Eelam.

“A UN report, prominent human rights groups, and governments are all calling for an international inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity. Now we need to start addressing the root cause of the ethnic conflict in the island of Sri Lanka,” said Krisna Saravanamuttu, the spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Tamils. “We want to see an immediate end to military rule and colonization of the Tamil homeland. A political solution based on the democratic aspiration for self-determination is the immediate issue of the hour.”

The first Pongku Thamizh demonstration was organized by the Jaffna University Students’ Union in January 2001 as a response to the Sri Lankan military campaign of abuses, disappearances, and mass graves. The event organized by the students of Jaffna University attracted thousands of peaceful participants and has grown into a global uprising for Tamil self-determination in their traditional homeland in the NorthEast.

“The global war on terror criminalized the Tamil resistance movement and labelled the national liberation struggle as terrorist. The rally represented a major political shift in the discourse around the Tamil national question. Tamils and their progressive allies around the world agree that only an accommodation of self-determination will ensure a long and sustainable peace for all peoples in the island of Sri Lanka,” a Canadian Tamil student activist told media.

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CityTV:		Occupy Toronto gathers in Queen's Park
Digital Journal:		Thousands gather for Pongu Tamil in Toronto urging freedom
Toronto Sun:		Toronto Tamils try to rally international support
680 News:		Group of Tamil-Canadians gather at Queen's Park for Tamil Freedom Rally