International Conference to discuss Land Grabbing in Tamil Homeland: Navi Pillay and many other international personalities will participate
Parliamentarian and Former Chief Minister of Northern Provincial Council C.V.Wigneswaran has announced that he has organized an international conference on land grabbing in the North and East.
Wigneswaran has issued a statement in this regard. According to the report:
Justice C.V. Wigneswaran (Member of Parliament and former Chief Minister of the Northern Province in Sri Lanka) is hosting an international conference on land grabbing in the Tamil homeland by the Sri Lankan state. The E-conference coincides with the end of March, 2021 UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva. Each panel is designed to facilitate political, legal and academic discourse on Sri Lankan land grabs – with an emphasis on practical solutions.
As a special guest, R. Sampanthan (Leader of the Tamil National Alliance and Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka) will be joining Justice C.V.Wigneswaren at the opening of the Conference.
Keynote speakers include Dr.Navaneetham Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Cherie Blair CBE QC, founder of Omnia Strategy LLP; and David Matas CM, 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and Member of the Order of Canada.
Details are given hereunder.
This pressing issue of Land Grabbing unites Tamil political parties and stakeholders around the globe to take action against the loss of the Tamil homeland to land grabs.
All Tamil National Parties have been invited to participate in the conference.
Loss of the Tamil Homeland
Identifying Issues and Creating Strategies to Preserve Tamil Land
MARCH 20, 12:30 – 5:30 PM (UK Time)6:00-11:00 PM (Colombo); 7:30am-12pm (Toronto)
Zoom Meeting ID: 925 7244 2450
Web link:http://bit.ly/TamilLand
Passcode: 238923
12:30 – 12:34 pm UK Time [6:00 – 6:34 pm Sri Lanka Time ]
Moment of silence commemorating those lost during Tamil genocide
Announcement of the conference
Start 12:35 – 12:45 pm [6:35 – 6:45 pm]
Welcome and Introduction
Justice C.V. Wigneswaran (Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka) with Special Guest R. Sampanthan (Leader of the Tamil National Alliance and Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka) will open the Conference.
12:45 – 1:05 pm [6:45 – 7:05 pm]
First Keynote Speaker
Dr. Navanetham Pillay (Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, former Judge of the International Criminal Court)
1:05 – 2:05 pm [7:05 – 8:05 pm]
Panel 1: Illegal Acquisition and Expropriation of Tamil Land in the North and East
Moderators
Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw (Chairman and Information Commissioner, Right to Access Information Commission in Sierra Leone); Dr. T. Sivaraj (Tamil Americans United Political Action Committee, USA)
Panelists
Anuradha Mittal (Oakland Institute, USA)
Wiley Nickel (North Carolina State Senator, USA)
Kathirgamathamby Kurunathan (Former Land Commissioner, Sri Lanka)
Bhavani Fonseka (Centre for Policy Alternatives, Sri Lanka)
2:05 – 2:25 pm [8:05 – 8:25 pm]
Second Keynote Speaker
Cherie Blair, CBE QC (Founder of Omnia Strategy LLP, UK)
2:25 – 3:25 pm [8:25 – 9-25 pm]
Panel 2: Perspectives on Legal and Political Challenges and Remedies to Land Grabs in Sri Lanka
Moderator
Sowjeya Joseph (Lawyer and Diaspora Activist, UK)
Panelists
K.S. Ratnavel (Centre for Human Rights and Development, Sri Lanka)
R.T. Vignarajah (Former High Court Judge, Sri Lanka)
Velan Swamigal (Coordinator of “Pottuvil to Polikandy” or P2P March, Sri Lanka)
Dr. Kandiah Sarveswaran
3:25-3:45 pm [9:25 – 9:45 pm]
Third Keynote Speaker
David Matas CM(2010 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, Order of Canada)
3:45-4:45 pm [9:45 – 10:45 pm]
Panel 3: Land, Foreign Investment, and Bilateral Investment Treaties
Moderator
Dr. M. Sornarajah (Emeritus Professor of Law, National University of Singapore;
Panelists
Dr. V. Nithiyanandam (Retired Professor of Economics, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka)
Dr. Thamil Ananthavinayagan (Teaching Associate in International Human Rights Law, University of Nottingham, UK)
Veronika Pavlovskaya (Senior Associate, Arzinger Law Firm)
Lorenzo Fiorito (Human Rights Advisor; Fundraising Coordinator, British Tamil Conservatives)
4:45 – 5:15 pm [10:45 – 11.15 pm] Panel 4 – Youth Voices on Tamil Nationhood and Tamil Territory
Moderator
Kabiliny Ratnasingam
Panelists
Abiramy Logeswaran (US)
Eelavan Karikalan (Switzerland)
Barbara Vencilas (UK)
Kumuthini Kunaratnam (Canada)
5:15 – 5:20 [11:15 – 11:20 pm] Conclusion and Vote of Thanks – Lorenzo Fiorito
For more information, contact the conference committee under landgrabconference2021@gmail.com.
Date: 20th March 2021 (Saturday)
Time: 12:30-5:30 PM (London); 6:00-11:00 PM (Colombo); 7:30 AM-12:30 PM (Toronto)
Platforms: Zoom, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Youtube, using Streamyard technology
Zoom Webinar ID: 925 7244 2450
Web link:http://bit.ly/TamilLand
Passcode: 238923
Click here to see the details of the conference: LGC 2021 _ Edit as of March 18 @6pm est-1