See below a great article by David Costello in the Courier Mail on why we need to put pressure on the Australian Government to be more humane to Tamils refugees. You can start my writing a letter to the editor and starting some debate.
Send to: cmletters@qnp.newsltd.com.au
Greenleft – Tamils vote for separate homeland
by Pip Hinman
Over April 17-18, Tamils across Australia voted overwhelmingly in favour of the formation of an independent and sovereign homeland — Tamil Eelam — in the north and east of Sri Lanka.
In what was described by organisers as “the most successful political event for the diaspora in Australia”, 99.38% of participants voted “yes”.
Australia is the 10th country has held a referendum on a separate homeland — the principle behind the Vaddukkoaddai Resolution of 1976. It involved more than 8000 people, out of 10,000 who registered. Around the world, about 200,000 people have voted “yes” — a clear indication of the views of the Tamil diaspora.
Tamil Referendum Council of Australia spokesperson Adrian Francis told TamilNet on April 22 that the mass turn-out of voters showed the Tamil diaspora is still very concerned about its people. “It shows that the fate of our brethren and our nation is an issue that burns at the forefront of the conscience of millions of Diaspora across the world”, he said.
Tamils at a polling booth in Homebush in Sydney’s west told Green Left Weekly on April 18 the referendum process had re-engaged the community after the shock, despair and anger that followed the Sri Lankan government’s massacre of Tamils last year. More
Last week (15/04) – at the Community Cabinet Meeting in Sydney – head of ATC’s Women’s Advocacy Group & GTFW cordinator – Kalyani Inpakumar - asked a question which received an applause from the audience but the ‘usual’ answer from the Immigration Minister.
SBS TV News : Tamils vote in referendum
Australian Tamils cast their votes in a referendum on the creation of an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka
18 April 2010
SBS TV News : Tamils vote in referendum
Australian Tamils cast their votes in a referendum on the creation of an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka
17 April 2010
The Age : Tamil vote on pressing case for homeland
Andra Jackson
AUSTRALIAN Tamils are to vote in a referendum this weekend on the creation of an independent Tamil homeland.
The Tamil Congress of Australia said more than 10,000 Tamils had registered to vote in the referendum, which follows similar votes in Canada, England and Europe that backed the establishment of a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka.
15 April 2010
The Wire : Australian Tamils cast their vote
Produced by Annie Hastwell
At least ten thousand Australian Tamils are expected to take time out to vote in a referendum this weekend – and its pretty certain that most will vote yes to the idea of a separate state for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Dr Sam Pari from the Australian Tamil Congress says the result will have little political significance but will serve as a tool to show that the world that the Tamil diaspora supports the cause of tamil independence.
Download here
14 April 2010
Radio FM 90.7 – Syn Radio
David Feith from the Australia-Tamil Solidarity speaks on the Vaddukoddai Referendum
Download here
10 April 2010
Green Left Weekly : Australian Tamils to vote in referendum
Over April 17-18, the Tamil community living in Australia will take part in a referendum on self-determination for Tamil Eelam.
Eleven voting centres will be set up in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.Tamils in other parts of Australia will vote by post. The referendum is being carried out by an independent electoral body.
7 April 2010
SBS Radio : Expat Lankans organise ‘referendum’
Some expatriate Sri Lankans have organised a ‘referendum’ on the question of a Tamil homeland.
It’s 10 months since the long civil war in Sri Lanka ended in devastating defeat for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, better known as the Tamil Tigers.
The Tigers had fought for a separate state for Tamils on the Indian Ocean island for decades, but Sri Lankan government forces overwhelmed them in the end.
But if it was the end of the Tigers, was it the end of aspirations for a separate state?
Some Tamil activist organisations around the world are trying to show it isn’t.
Download here
6 April 2010
ABC TV News
ABC Radio Australia interviews Dr Sam Pari on the UNHCR Report
Listen to interview here
ABC TV News : Lawyers question Asylum policy
Listen to interview from source here
ABC Radio PM : Opposition, Tamils and refugee lawyer say asylum suspension won’t stop surge of boats
Listen to interview and read transcript from source here
Download interview here
SL’s rigged elections & Oz to deport Tamils
SBS News – Sri Lankans go to the polls
ABC Radio Australia PM – UN Refugee Agency may change some protection guidelines
The United Nations Refugee Agency is looking at changing its international protection guidelines for Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers. The changes would pave the way for Australia to send many more of the detainees on Christmas Island back to where they started. The Tamil Association is urging against any change to the guidelines, saying it’s no safer for Tamils in Sri Lanka. From Canberra, Alexandra Kirk reports.
“There is still 100- to 150,000 Tamils being held in military run camps in the north and the fact that there’s about another 10- to 15,000 Tamils being held in undisclosed areas where there are allegations of rape and torture that have been continuing for more than a year. I do not believe that the guidelines should be relaxed. Sri Lanka is still a very dangerous country for Tamil civilians regardless of whether they’re from the north, whether they’re from the east or anywhere on the island.” – Dr Sam Pari, National Spokesperson, Australian Tamil Congress
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:
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.
