Tamil Justice

Global Tamil Forum (GTF) will be formally inaugurated on Wednesday 24th February 2010 in London.

There will also be a fundraising social event on Friday 26th February 2010 from 7.00pm till 2.00am at the Grand Suite, Britannia International Hotel, London Docklands, 163 Marsh Wall, E14 9SJ.

Ticket cost is £75 per person and proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the GTF sponsor program to support 1,000 orphaned & disabled Tamil children and 450 destitute families by the recent war in the Vanni. Please support and participate in this global initiative.

For tickets please contact British Tamils Forum on +44(0)20 8808 0465.  Thank you.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford

Global Tamil Forum (GTF) will be formally inaugurated on Wednesday 24th February 2010 in London.

GTF is formed by globally uniting Diaspora grassroots organisations from 15 countries in all five continents.

The Inaugural General Meeting will take place with participation of GTF delegates, invited guests, Cabinet & Shadow Ministers, cross party MPs, foreign dignitaries and international media personnel.

Following the successful launch of the concept back in July 2009 and formal launch in Paris in August 2009, GTF has been working towards building a strong, structured, well participated internationally co-coordinated group with identified avenues to fulfil the three main objectives of the organisation:

• To help free interned Tamils and men and women held without proper legal representation
• To help prosecute war criminals and persons who committed crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka
• To lobby international governments, non-governmental organisations and institutions to help to resolve the conflict in Sri Lanka on the basis of legitimate democratic mandate given by the Tamil people in Sri Lanka

As part of the first objective, GTF has initiated a program to sponsor 1,000 orphaned disabled Tamil children and 450 destitute families by the recent war in the Vanni. At present 235 children and 90 families are already being funded.

As part of the second objective, GTF is in the process of collecting evidence and seeking advice on formal process and avenues to prove war crimes and crimes against humanity.

As part of the third objective GTF, through the various country organisations, are actively engaging with senior politicians, civil servants and members of non-governmental organisations and institutions in bringing wider awareness of the injustices done to the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

GTF inauguration conference will be a historic event to show willingness and commitment of the Tamil Diaspora to take a democratic path and engage with the international community in finding a solution to address the genuine grievances of the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka.

Despite the global voices raised by the Tamil Diaspora, as our kith and kin endured unimaginable suffering and atrocities during the final stages of the war in Sri Lanka, we could not avert the mass slaughter that prevailed. However, we have learned valuable lessons from this unbearable loss faced by our community. We have much to do to inform decision makers in our host countries. We can only achieve our objectives by creating a powerful unified voice to get policy makers and the media to listen to our just calls to bring an immediate end to the suffering of our brethren in Sri Lanka.

The attendance and participation of national and international, political and non-political delegates in the inauguration event is a key milestone for GTF being recognised as a coordinated Diaspora body and a welcomed expression of willingness to coordinate efforts going forward to achieving the people’s objectives.

The event will also include the inauguration of Global Tamil Women Forum (GTWF) which has been formed with the vision to unite, represent and empower Tamil women in the island of Sri Lanka and Diaspora host countries. Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) Women’s Advocacy Group has made strides in raising critical issues faced by Tamil women and children with key politicians and non-government organisations in Australia. The women’s lobby group has worked collaboratively with a number of other organisations in Australia. It is intended to expand this network through GTWF to unite the efforts of Tamil Women activists globally.

GTF’s inauguration event will also be used to convey future project plans. There will be more focus on pushing forward USA and Canada’s boycott campaigns to create global synergy and also on bringing charges against perpetrators of war crimes and other crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka.

GTF strengthens unity through it’s concept that membership to the GTF board is only through a single representative country organisation, hence encouraging individuals and organisations to unite under one umbrella within their country. At present the following country organisations are signed up to GTF:

Country Country Organisation

United Kingdom        British Tamils Forum

France                    La Maison du Tamil Eelam (France Tamil Eela Makkal Peravai)

United States           United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC)

Sweden                  Swedish Tamil Forum (STF)

Malaysia                  Tamil Relief Fund / Malaysia Tamil Forum (MTF)

Canada                   Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC)

Norway                   Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamil (NCET)

Denmark                 Danish Federation of Tamil Associations

New Zealand            New Zealand Tamil Society

Australia                 Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)

Holland                   Tamil Kunst en Cultuur Vereniging

Mauritius                 Mauritius Tamils

Switzerland              Swiss Tamil Forum

Italy                       Giovani Tamil (TYO – Italy)

Germany                 Country organisation is being formed

GTF envisages being a truly representative body of the Tamil Diaspora to unite and address the immediate needs of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and working towards a permanent solution for the oppressed Tamil people of Sri Lanka.

Please visit www.globaltamilforum.org to find more information about GTF and to participate in this global initiative.

The Wire – Sri Lankan opposition leader arrested

Produced by Jacinta Patterson

In Sri Lanka, the main opposition leader has been arrested after the government accused him of what it termed ‘military offences’. Sri Lanka held its general election last month – the first since the end of the country’s lengthy civil war. Former military leader General Sarath Fonseca ran an unsuccessful campaign against his former commander-in-chief, President Mahendra Rajapaksa. His arrest came just hours after he told reporters he’d be willing to give evidence about war crimes he alleges took place during the conflict. Featured in this story: Dr Sam Pari, spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress; Dr Jake Lynch, director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University.

Listen from source or download here

 Australian Tamil Congress - Sri Lanka seeks to silence war crimes claims
 
“General Fonseka’s arrest is a clear message that the Government of Sri Lanka will detain anyone – even its own military leaders, if they threaten to expose its appalling human rights record.”
 
Dr Sam Pari – Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)
 
“General Fonseka indicated he would reveal sensitive information regarding war crimes which were committed during Sri Lanka’s civil conflict. His arrest shows the extent the Government of Sri Lanka will go to silence anyone who threatens to speak out against it.”
 
“This should be a clear message to the Australian government and the international community that Tamils facing persecution in Sri Lanka cannot expect justice from the country’s political system.”
 
Please contact Dr Sam Pari for interview Ph:  0433 428 967

Radio Adelaide Breakfast – Sri Lanka post election

After the elections in Sri Lanka, with the population being said to be more ethnically split than ever before, is it possible the President Rajapaksa will address issues such as economically developing the north, power sharing and reconciliation with the Tamil people?

Casey Hribar spoke to Bobby Sandaralingham of the Australian Tamil Congress and put these questions to him.

Listen from source

The Australian Tamil Congress – History Repeating for Sri Lanka’s Tamils

“The re-election of a man who unlawfully imprisoned 300,000 men, women and children and whose regime has accrued an appalling human rights record should be condemned”

Dr Sam Pari – Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s victory in Sri Lanka’s Presidential elections virtually guarantees the democratic, social and economic opportunities for Tamils and other minorities in Sri Lanka will remain bleak, according to Dr Sam Pari, spokesperson for The Australian Tamil Congress.

“150,000 Tamils remain detained against their will in military run camps. Thousands of people have gone missing without trace and Tamils who have been released face severe restrictions on freedom of movement. Poor voter turnout in the predominantly Tamil areas of the north and east of Sri Lanka show the deep level of resentment and mistrust against both candidates.

“Despite calls by the United Nations for investigations into alleged war crimes, President Rajapaksa continues to resist any cooperation in these investigations. The outcome of this election will continue to hamper the restoration of justice and the ability of the country to move forward through reconciliation - a key component in Sri Lanka’s rebuilding process.

“We are extremely concerned for the welfare of Tamils and other minorities in Sri Lanka and once again are calling on the Australian Government and the international community to ensure peace, justice and true democracy are restored. They must take a more active role in holding President Rajapaksa to account and pressure for independent investigations into alleged war crimes”, said Dr Pari.

On the issue of asylum seekers, Dr Pari said “the only way to stem the tide of boat people arriving in Australian waters is to address the root cause of why people are fleeing Sri Lanka in the first place- to escape ethnic persecution and a brutal regime which is answerable to no one”

-    ENDS

Dr Sam Pari is available for interview on this topic Ph: 0433 428 967

Australian Tamil Congress Availability for Comment – Undemocratic Election = Unthinkable consequences

Dr Sam Pari, spokesperson for The Australian Tamil Congress fears the democratic, social and economic opportunities for Tamils In the north and east of Sri Lanka will remain bleak, regardless of the outcome of the Presidential election on Tuesday.

“Tamils have faced decades of oppression and been subjected to ethnically motivated human rights abuses for many years – the democratic freedoms and opportunities which have been promised time and time again by Sinhalese presidents and political parties have never been honoured in the past.

“There is so much work to be done in the reconstruction of Sri Lanka- we need real commitment to address inequalities.

“The international community must be vigilant in its monitoring of conditions in Sri Lanka and pressure the United Nations to conduct an independent inquiry into allegations of war crimes”, said Dr Pari

Sam Pari, MD is available for interview on this topic Ph: 0433 428 967

ATC – Availability for Comment

“Romesh Javasingha is a spokesperson for the same Government who unlawfully imprisoned 300,000 Tamil civilians and mislead the international community about evidence of war crimes.
“It’s time to stop enabling their lies.”
 
Dr Sam Pari – Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)

“The Australian Tamil Congress completely dismisses claims made by Romesh Jayasingha, the permanent secretary to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minister, that Sri Lanka is a safe place for Tamils.

“These Tamils fled Sri Lanka because they feared persecution by the Sri Lankan Government. 

 “If this threat was not real, why would the UNHCR approve their claims for asylum?” said Dr Sam Pari, Official Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress.

“The Sri Lankan Government’s history of misleading and deceiving the international community has been reinforced time and time again most recently, with the United Nations making public accusations about the possibility of complicity in war crimes.

“Sri Lanka is a country with a very dubious human rights record against ethnic minorities, including Tamils. These concerns are well documented in numerous reports by the United Nations, Amnesty International and the US State Department.

 “Recently the Government of Sri Lanka was caught out by the United Nations for alleging a video showing a heinous war crime committed by the Sri Lankan Military was fake.

“Despite Sri Lanka’s catergorical denial, experts from the United Nations declared the video to be genuine and called for an investigation into possible war crimes committed during the civil war in Sri Lanka which lasted for almost three decades”, said Dr Pari.

Sam Pari, MD is available for interview on this topic Ph:  0433 428 967

ABC Radio Australia – Australian Tamils concerned at visa denials of Tamil refugees

ABC Radio Australia’s international section interviewed Dr Sam Pari, Official Spokesperson for Australian Tamil Congress on 13/01/2010 about the Australian government’s decision to deny visas to 7 Tamil asylum seekers, found to be legitimate refugees by UNHCR

ABC TV News – Australian Tamils concerned at visa denials
A spokeswoman from the Australian Tamil community, Dr Sam Pari, says they are concerned that the five refugees who were denied visas to live in Australia will be mistreated by Sri Lankan authorities

SMH – ASIO checks unreliable: former immigration officer

ASIO’s security checks are open to political interference and should not form the basis of rejecting refugees from Australia, a former immigration official says.

…’The UN Refugee Agency does not grant refugee status to anyone who has committed war crimes or crimes against humanity. It determined all 78 Sri Lankan Tamils who refused to get off the Oceanic Viking in Indonesia to be refugees.

The Minister for Immigration, Chris Evans, said he did not know what the security concerns surrounding the five Tamils were. The Tamils were not discussed by the border security committee of cabinet, which met in Canberra yesterday.

”Those decisions are made by ASIO and they don’t discuss the detail of those things,” he said.

A refugee lawyer, David Manne, said secrecy was part of the problem. People suspected of being a risk were never told why. ”ASIO gets information but it never puts it to the person,” he said. ”These people are stuck in indefinite detention but it’s impossible to find out what the concerns are.”

The process had to be made transparent and subject to independent scrutiny. ”ASIO has made serious mistakes in the past,” he said. ”It’s crucial that we don’t revert to the previous situation where these people’s plight became a political football.”

ASIO draws on classified and unclassified information to evaluate a person’s activities, associates, attitudes, background and character. The agency takes into account the credibility and reliability of information available, the ASIO annual report says. Where sources contradict, ASIO seeks to interview the person.

According to Ms Steen, repeated interviews, without disclosing the nature of the suspicions, bordered on harassment. ”ASIO got leant on. Its re-interviewing of the two men on Nauru was a result of political interference from the top.” ASIO declined to comment.

ABC Radio AM – Opposition says Oceanic Viking deal compromised national security

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: ASIO never publicly releases its security assessments so it’s not clear what risk the group pose but most commentators believe it’s to do with the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.

ROB STARY: To now arbitrarily say that the Sri Lankan Tamils shouldn’t be here because they’ve sided with one side or the other, I think is extraordinary.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Defence lawyer Rob Stary is currently representing members of the Tamil community who’ve been accused of providing financial help to the Tamil Tigers.

That case is before the courts in Melbourne.

ROB STARY: ASIO should not be the final arbiter as to who should represent a security risk. The process should be firstly transparent and it should be open to further scrutiny.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: We can only guess that these people were linked in some way to the Tamil Tigers?

ROB STARY: Yeah but that’s true of many, many political refugees in this country – the same way that many Kosovars fled the conflict in Serbia. It’s the same as historically the Irish Fenians in the mid 19th century fled Ireland.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Doctor Martin Mulligan is from RMIT University.

MARTIN MULLIGAN: Most of the people who have lived in the north-eastern region of Sri Lankan and even in the south-eastern province could easily have had some kind of contact, like linkages to the Tamil Tigers over a period of time and often that was against their will.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: He believes the Tamil Tigers should no longer be treated as a terrorist organisation.

MARTIN MULLIGAN: We really have to show a little generosity here and understand the past in where these people may have lived in situations where the Tamil Tigers may have been in control of a whole area, territory.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Two young children are among the group being detained.

The Greens want the family brought to the Australian mainland.

But the Government says the children and their mother won’t be held behind the razor wire.

It now faces the difficult task of finding a third nation to take the Tamils who can’t be sent back to Sri Lanka because they have been found to be genuine refugees.