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
