Criminalization of Tamil diaspora counterproductive - IFT

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 June 2008, 10:27 GMT]
Geneva based Tamil diaspora federation, the International Federation of Tamils (IFT), in a press release issued Thursday, expressed disappointment on the misuse of anti-terrorist legislation by Canada to "suppress the voice of Canadian Tamil diaspora by listing the World Tamil Organization (WTM) as a terrorist organization," denounced the measures taken by other western governments on criminalization of Tamil diaspora as "plainly unhelpful and clearly counter productive."

The IFT urged the governments "to address the root cause of a conflict which has driven hundreds of thousands of Tamils out of Sri Lanka and forced tens of thousands resort to an armed struggle," and added that, "by engaging with the Tamil Diaspora communities, the international community can help forge an enduring peace in the island of Sri Lanka."

The press release said the IFT will support all initiatives by international governments for engagement with the Tamil Diaspora to:

• Understand the Diaspora’ s motives for supporting the Tamileelam struggle for self-determination spearheaded by the LTTE.
• Consider the Diaspora’ s views on structures for the Tamil and Sinhala people to coexist as equals within the island of Sri Lanka.
• Enhance the Diaspora’ s capacity to promote democracy and build the economy of the Tamil state.