NCET urges Obama to explore policy reciprocal to US-Tamil interests
[TamilNet, Friday, 11 December 2009, 01:49 GMT]
US president Barak Obama visiting Oslo to receive Nobel Peace Prize Thursday was urged by the Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils (NCET) that the USA should explore possibilities of recharting a policy pragmatic to both the national question of Tamils and the US interests in the island of Sri Lanka. In a letter addressed to the President and made open to media, NCET expressed its deep concern about Monday’s recommendations of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs seeking to strengthen Colombo and sidelining political solution to Tamils. Hundreds of Eezham Tamils in Oslo, joining many other organisations of international politics making demands to Obama, also took part in a vigil Thursday evening, marching from the city centre towards the Stortinget, the Norwegian parliament.
Dr. Panchakulasingam Kandiah
“USA has always been upholding a political solution to the crisis in the island than a military one. However, despite the wishes of Your Excellency, Eezham Tamils had the misfortune of experiencing the tragedy and trauma of a military solution. They are now puzzled how nullification or postponement of the long-due political solution appropriate for their national question would fetch durable geo-strategic objectives to anyone,” said the letter signed by Dr. Panchakulasingam Kandiah, president of the NCET.
Full text of the letter follows:His Excellency The President of the United States of America
Through H.E. The Ambassador for USA in Norway, Oslo
Henrik Ibsens gate 48
0244 Oslo
Norway
December 10, 2009
Your Excellency,
The Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils (NCET), democratically elected assembly of Eelam Tamils in Norway, is deeply concerned about the recommendations made on recharting the US policy on Sri Lanka by the Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate in its report dated 7, December.
The report totally sidelines the responsibility of the US and the international community to find a political solution to the longstanding national question of Eelam Tamils who currently face multifaceted genocide by the Sri Lankan State.
On the contrary, the report recommends not to focus on political solution or humanitarian remedies, but to strengthen the Sri Lankan State economically and militarily for the strategic benefits of the USA.
While fully appreciating the geo-strategic concerns of the USA, we are sad to note that the Senate recommendations do not consider the overlapping interests of the USA and the nation of Tamils owning one third of the strategic island, but unfortunately go against them.
Tamils whether in the island of Sri Lanka or in Tamil Nadu or in any other part of the world have always been a friendly people to the USA. It is our great concern that insinuations in policies should not bring in any harm to larger Tamil-USA relationship in the strategically important South India-Sri Lanka region.
USA has always been upholding a political solution to the crisis in the island than a military one. However, despite the wishes of Your Excellency, Eelam Tamils had the misfortune of experiencing the tragedy and trauma of a military solution. They are now puzzled how nullification or postponement of the long-due political solution appropriate for their national question would fetch durable geo-strategic objectives to anyone.
We therefore request Your Excellency to explore the possibilities of recharting a US policy pragmatic to both the national question and the US interests in the island.
Congratulating Your Excellency on the occasion of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize,
With Warm Regards and Thanks,
Yours Sincerely,
Dr. Panchakulasingam Kandiah
President,
Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils
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