3RD LEAD

Pongku Thamizh event in Geneva urges global Tamils to uphold struggle

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2012, 03:18 GMT]
Diaspora Tamils should focus their full efforts in demanding the United Nation to conduct a plebiscite among the Tamil speaking people in the Tamil homeland, told Professor Giuseppe Burgio from the University of Palermo, Italy, at the Pongku Thamizh rally held Saturday in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva in Switzerland. More than 3,500 Tamil activists across Europe gathered in Geneva to assert their resolve to uphold the struggle for the independence of the nation of Eezham Tamils. A group of mayors and lawyers from France appeared in the stage vowing their support to Eezham Tamils' Right to Self Determination and international legal efforts that sought to pave the way forward. Norwegian Red party politician Stian Nicolajsen told the gathering that his party would extend full support to Tamils' independence.



A meaningful peace could only be achieved when Tamils gain their long desired freedom, Nicolajsen told the gathering.

The Italian professor in his address said that the Tamils have a long history spanning thousands of years. It is only a matter of time before the Tamil flag is flown in the UN assembly, declared.

Tamils from France came to the event in large numbers hiring a train, news sources in Geneva told TamilNet. Municipal Council members Mr Anthony Russel (Municipale La Courneuve), Mr David Fabre (Municipale Savigny Sur Oge) and Ms Kola (a member of MTO) and lawyer Christophe Launay took part in the rally expressing solidarity with Eezham Tamils.

Apart from the attendance of progressive forces from France, Germany, Norway, Italy and UK, the rally has also brought together youth activists who have been in the forefront in mobilising the masses in the diaspora.

The Tamil activists raised issues of land-grabs, militarization and colonization of the Tamil homeland and the release of Eezham Tamil prisoners of war. They also called for a complete rejection of any solution based on the LLRC report, alleging that it was a product of the "genocidal intent" of the Sri Lankan state.

A total of nine grassroot diaspora organizations further urged the member states to take action in the 21st session of the UNHRC based on five immediate measures.

1. Accept the existence of a historic homeland of Eelam Tamils, respect Eelam Tamils as a nation of people, and facilitate them to exercise sovereignty over their homeland.
2. Take immediate measures to halt genocide of Eelam Tamils in their homeland by the Sri Lankan military.
3. Reject the report of the LLRC, identify the genocidal intent underlining its report, and implement the recommendations of the UN Experts Panel by immediately initiating an independent, international investigation into all violations of international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, by Sri Lanka.
4. Note the genocidal pattern of the land grabs, order withdrawal of Sri Lankan military from Eelam Tamil land and cease funding of colonisation programmes carried out under guise of economic development.
5. Recognise that surrendered cadres of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) served in the defense or civil structures of a de-facto state and as such they are prisoners of war under appropriate international legal mechanisms; ensure Sri Lanka accepts this legal recognition and the UN initiates a process of repatriation.

The slogan for this year's Pongku Thamizh event was "We demand our land".