Denmark goes for Tamil referendum Sunday

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 20:06 GMT]
Eezham Tamils in Denmark will cast their ballot in 32 centres across the country in a referendum on the question of independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island of Sri Lanka. The referendum will be conducted by a professional institute TNS Gallup, specialised in sociological and public opinion research services, deploying electronic system for confidential voting, says Dr. Remmon Washington, the spokesperson of the Denmark Tamils Forum formation committee, which has initiated the poll. The total number of eligible Eezham Tamil voters in Denmark is estimated to be ranging around 6,500.

All polling booths will be supervised by a non-Tamil representative, who will liaise with TNS Gallup and will be responsible for giving the individual password necessary for electronic voting at the booth.

When voters enter the password, the statement for the referendum and three columns, 'yes', 'no' and 'blank', will appear in the screen for the voters to choose and submit.

The committee appealed to all eligible Eezham Tamil voters to prove solidarity in democratic approach to the national question, through overwhelming participation.

Even though small in number, voters in Denmark have to be conscious about the significant impact they could make, as successful referenda in several diaspora countries have proved it domestically and internationally, says Dr. Remmon Washington, an Eezham Tamil physician who came to Denmark in 1987 at the age of five.

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