International community should be cognizant of the declarations by both candidates: World-wide Tamil Organizations

World-wide Tamil Organizations and Entities around the world, in a joint press release have urged the international community to take into account of the belligerent declarations by both major Sinhala candidates against the OISL investigation.

They have also stressed that changing the nature of the state, not just a change in government would bring viable path to genuine democracy and permanent peace in the island.

We publish below the full text of the press release issued on 1 January 2015:

On this New Year’s Day, January 1, 2015, Tamil organizations and entities around the world pledge our renewed commitment to bring dignity, freedom, justice, and peace to our Tamil brethren living in the occupied NorthEast region constituting the Tamil Nation in the island of Sri Lanka. We are united in our quest for freedom for our people who have been oppressed by successive Sri Lankan regimes.

We thank the International Community for leading and supporting the Resolution at the March 2014 Session of the UNHRC, which initiated the investigation by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for violations of human rights and related crimes against the Tamil people. We are hopeful that the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) will lead to accountability and remedial justice for genocide, war-crimes, and crimes against humanity committed against the Tamil people.

As the Sinhala leaders campaign for the next Sri Lankan Presidential election scheduled for January 8th 2015, the International Community should be cognizant of the belligerent declarations by both major Sinhala candidates against the OISL investigation. Notably, neither has offered any political solution to the Tamils. As has been the unfortunate history of Sinhala dominated Sri Lankan political landscape, both candidates are re-enforcing the permanent and unassailable Sinhala ethnic majoritarianism in marginalizing and disempowering the Tamils. We believe, changing the nature of the state, not just a change in government, is the viable path to genuine democracy and permanent peace in the island.

Since the end of the war in May 2009, Sri Lanka has engaged in accelerated destruction of the Tamil Nation including forced demographic changes, illegal occupation of lands belonging to Tamils, disrupting religious ceremonies and destruction of places of worship, assault on press freedom, continuing disappearances and torture, and suffocating military occupation, all perpetuating the genocide. Under these circumstances, we call upon the International Community to urgently bring about an interim-mechanism to protect the Tamil people from these genocidal activities by Sri Lanka, and to create the conditions for the Tamil people to exercise their right to self-determination via a referendum to decide their political future.

At this propitious time of year, we call for a peaceful world thriving with justice, equality and freedom for all.

The following Tamil organizations and entities are jointly releasing this 2015 New Year Message:
1. Academy of Tamil Studies, Malaysia
2. Akila Inthiya Tamilar Katchi, Tamil Nadu, India
3. Anti Methane Project Federation – மீத்தேன் திட்ட எதிர்ப்புக் கூட்டமைப்பு, Tamil Nadu, India
4. Association For Community and Dialogue, Malaysia
5. British Tamil Conservatives, UK
6. British Tamils Forum, UK
7. Center for War Victims & Human Rights, Canada
8. Communist Party of India – Tamil Nadu Secretariat, India
9. Communist Party (M-L) People Liberation – Tamil Nadu, ப ொதுவுமடமைக் கட்சி (ைொ-பெ) ைக்கள்
விடுேமெ – ேமிழ்நொடு, Tamil Nadu, India
10. Council of Temples, Malaysia
11. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – திரொவிட முன்தேற்றக் கழகம், Tamil Nadu, India
12. Forum Against War Crimes and Genocide – த ொர்க்குற்றங்கள் இேப் டுபகொமெக்கு எதிரொே ைன்றம்,
Tamil Nadu, India
13. Green Student Movement, Tamil Nadu, India
14. Group of Concerned Citizens, Malaysia
15. Hindu Defense Brigade, Malaysia
16. Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA
17. International Council of Eelam Tamils (ICET)
18. ICET: Council of Eelam Tamils in Germany, Germany
19. ICET: Danish Federation of Tamil Associations, Denmark
20. ICET: Dutch Tamil Forum, Netherland
21. ICET: Italian Council of Eelam Tamils, Italy
22. ICET: Maison du Tamil Eelam France, France
23. ICET: National Council of Canadian Tamils, Canada 24. ICET: National council of New Zealand Tamils, New Zealand25. ICET: Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils, Norway
26. ICET: Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils, Switzerland
27. ICET: Tamil Cultural Centre- Belgium, Belgium
28. Malaysian Indian Youth Council, Malaysia
29. Malaysian Tamil Forum, Malaysia
30. Mouvement Against Tamils Genocide, Mauritius
31. Naam Thamilar Katchi, நொம் ேமிழர் கட்சி, Tamil Nadu, India
32. New Zealand Tamil Society, New Zealand
33. Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils, Norway
34. Pasumai Thaayagam Foundation – சுமைத் ேொயகம், Tamil Nadu, India
35. Pattali Makkal Katchi – ொட்டொளி ைக்கள் கட்சி, Tamil Nadu, India
36. Penang Society for Advancement of Tamils, Malaysia
37. People for Equality and Relief in Lanka, USA
38. People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy – அணுசக்திக்கு எதிரொே ைக்கள் இயக்கம், Tamil Nadu, India
39. Southside FM Radio, South Africa
40. Students Federation For Free Eelam, Tamil Nadu, India
41. Students Movement For Change, Tamil Nadu, India
42. Students Struggle for Tamil Eelam – ேமிழீழத்திற்கொே ைொணவர் த ொரொட்டக் குழு, Tamil Nadu, India
43. Swedish Tamils Forum, Sweden
44. Tamil Nadu Makkal Katchi – ேமிழ்நொடு ைக்கள் கட்சி, Tamil Nadu, India