Policy

JULY 10, 2012

RESOLUTIONS OF THE 10TH NATIONAL CONVENTION OF

THE TAMIL EELAM LIBERATION ORGANISATION (T.E.L.O)

HELD AT BATTICALOA, SRI LANKA

ON THE 29TH AND 30TH OF SEPTEMBER 2018

This convention demands that in the event of the Government of Sri Lanka failing to put forward a political solution to the National question of Sri Lanka that could satisfy the political aspirations of the Tamil people before the 31st of December this year, the support extended by the Tamil National Alliance (T.N.A) to the Government should be terminated. 

While declaring once again that the continuing occupation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces by Government Troops numbering over one hundred thousand, even after the completion of nine years since the conclusion of the war and without any justifiable reasons is unacceptable, this convention demands that the de-induction of the troops should be implemented within a definite and reasonable time frame and their strength restricted to the level that prevailed in 1981. 

In view of the fact that the Sri Lankan Army continues to stay in the North-East region in overwhelming strength and the costs of maintaining a huge army impact heavily on the National economy, affecting adversely, not only Tamils and Muslims, but also the Sinhalese, this convention demands that the Tamil National Alliance should not support the forth coming Budget of the Government of Sri Lanka. 

While charging that the continuing detention of 107 Tamil political prisoners for the last several years is in gross violation of the concept of Justice, and pointing out the fact that the last Government of Mahinda Rajapakse had released more than 12,000 Tamil prisoners following their rehabilitation,  this convention condemns the inhuman manner in which the Government headed by President Maitiripala Srisena has been handling this issue, trotting out various excuses and demands the release of all political prisoners before the 31st of December this year. 

Emphasizing  that the political goal of freedom of our people could only be achieved by the united and unified political strength of  Tamil Nationalism, with all Tamil political parties that remain outside of the Tamil National Alliance, joining the Alliance and functioning  unitedly, and conscious of the compelling need to launch a firm and final campaign to achieve a political solution to the National question of the Island of Sri Lanka, within the frame work of its politico-administrative unity,  this convention calls upon all political parties and social organizations committed to the Tamil National Cause to rally together in order to commence that political struggle.                 

 

This convention resolves further that in the event of finding that achieving a political solution to the National question within a reasonable and realistic time frame is impossible, all Tamil National forces should come forward to place our problem before the International community and endeavour to ensure that a referendum would be held among the Tamil speaking people of the Northern and Eastern provinces and the Tamils of Sri Lankan origin who reside abroad having migrated in consequence  of  the systematic violence unleashed on them in their homeland, on the basis that the Tamils constitute a distinct and separate Nation entitled to the right of self determination as its birth right.     

While firmly stating that there shall be no compromise on the part of the Tamil Nation on the issue of war crimes, this National convention emphasizes that the United Nations Human Rights Council should demand that the State of Sri Lanka should fulfill its obligation as pledged before the Council, without any delay and ensure its enforcement. 

Further, that in the event of the State of Sri Lanka failing to acknowledge and accept its obligations and act accordingly to implement the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council, before the end of March 2019, this convention strongly urges that the United Nations should hold the trials in the war crimes committed in Sri Lanka. 

N.Srikantha

Secretary – General

Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (T.E.L.O)

DORTMUND DECLARATION by the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO)

The 31st Black July Commemoration Ceremony was held on 12th and 13th July, 2014 in Dortmund, Germany, with participation by the Members of Parliament, and Members of North and East Provincial Councils, and the European Members of TELO, to honour the thousands of Tamils massacred, along with TELO’s founding leaders Honourable Thangathurai and Kuddimani and the prominent Tamil youth in July 1983, and adopted the following declaration:

D E C L A R A T I O N

1. To take lawful measures to counter the land grab, expanding military encampments, Sinhala colonization and militarization by the Sri Lankan state in Northern and Eastern provinces; while appraising and undertaking measures to progressively enhance the security, economic advancement, development, reconstruction and livelihood of Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka.

2. Within the island nation of Sri Lanka, through the mediation of the international community, involving India and the USA; a constitutional and administrative reform be brought about that recognises and provides for: (i) the right to self determination of Tamil speaking people of North and East; and (ii) a merged North and East provincial assembly established, under a federal constitution.

3. Acknowledging that the reforming provisions brought under the Indo-Sri Lanka accord, 13th amendment to the provincial assembly legislation, provide only the nominal points for a final settlement and requires further elaboration to resolve the outstanding self governance issues.

4. As per the resolutions of the United Nations Human Rights Council;
a thorough investigation must be held by the Commission appointed, to ascertain whether genocide did take place in Sri Lanka.

தமிழீழ விடுதலை இயக்கம். – ஜரோப்பா
Tamil Eeelam Liberation Organization – Europe

TELO President Selvam MP speech at the 8th annual conference

Tamil Eela Liberation Organization

6th – 7th April 2013

Dear Friends

We are here at the 8th annual conference of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization.

Born as an armed movement, in its growth over 40 years, shifts its stands according to the change of times, and shine as one of the prime political parties that represent the Tamil speaking people.

The Tamil nationality is in an unprecedented political vacuum now.

Our party with all the other Tamil parties is indulged in finding and deciding the direction of the next move and the techniques that should be observed in that journey.

After the war came to an end in Sri Lanka in 2009 May, all the parties had the hope that the Government would go ahead with moves to strengthen the relationship among the races.

But the Government of Sri Lanka didn’t take forward any activity plan that would fulfill the hope of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, Tamil Diaspora and the international community.

The Current environment

Government is only interested in celebrating the war victory annually among Sinhalese, but it didn’t take enough action to fulfill the wishes in the minds of the Tamils.

The government didn’t take any concrete action to grant justice against the damages of war and to find a reasonable political solution to the long living ethnic problem.

On the contrary the Government is continued to engage in the activities that would widen the existing gap.

  • Very heavy military presence is maintained in the Tamil home land of north and east of Sri Lanka. Forces are positioned on the ratio of one soldier to ten civilian. Other than this the Intelligence forces are highly active in Tamil areas.
  • The basic human rights such as freedom of mobility, freedom for gathering and freedom of speech consciously are all strictly limited. Daily life of ordinary civilians is heavily monitored and the ministry of defence and forces fully intervene in the general administrative activities.
  • Thousands of acres of lands such as private houses, lands, agricultural lands, places of worship, schools and hospitals were grabbed by the forces and army bases and high security zones have been created.
  • Sinhalese are settled in Tamil places where Sinhala Buddhists had not ever lived. The basic facilities for them and the Buddhist temples are being erected. Wherever they erected Buddhists temples are declared as Buddhist sacred areas.
  • War time arrested thousands of political prisoners are still in prison. Even though the thousands of militant surrendees were released, these political prisoners are not yet been released. The former militants who were released and reunited with their families are arrested again and again and they and their families are undergoing hardships.

The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization likes to remind the Government of Sri Lanka that these are not the signs of reconciliation and this sort of activities will not make way for the peaceful life of the people of this country or the economical upliftment of this country.

  • Drive away the armed forces that are heaped up here in the Tamil home land.
  • Stop the artificial Sinhalization that is being carried out with the Government background and take back all the settlements that were made earlier.
  • Stop erecting Buddhists temples in the places where Sinhala Buddhists had not ever lived and other races are living longer periods.
  • Release all the political prisoners who were arrested for war time reasons, without any conditions. Reveal details and the proofs the current status of the people who went missing during the war time and the surrendees and of war.
  • Clear all the barriers lay against the livelihood of fishing and agriculture.

Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization request the Government that it should take concrete reconciliation attempts and to do all possible to find a permanent and reasonable political solution.

Political solution 

The existing Provincial Council system is not an accurate and permanent political solution. The powers of Provincial council will not compensate to the price that our people had paid for the last seven decades particularly in the last thirty years. The stand of the TELO is that 13th amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka is not a strong respond to the political aspirations of the Tamils.

Anyhow due to the need of the time only we contested in the Eastern Provincial election and we have to contest in the Northern Provincial election. As we are contesting in the elections of the provincial council, nobody should think that we have failed in our duty of obtaining suitable solution to our people. The Tamil Nation is at a political juncture without knowing the directions to go. We are in the need of participating in the provincial council election as a step to re-strengthen the social economical and political existence of our nation.

This is merely only a step towards our final solution. The existing provincial council system is not the final solution forwarded by the TELO.

Tamils are a nation. As like any nation we also have a region in the island of Sri Lanka. Undergoing long term suppressions, racial discriminations and violence, as the only way to get away them, we all fought with aspirations of creating a separate country for our people.

To give way for the changes of time and with the view of trying for alternative ways we have been engaging in finding a solution in the limitation of one country for the last twenty five years.

TELO is in the opinion that in the united Sri Lanka there should be an independent structure created for our region and this would be the suitable solution for the Sri Lankan ethnic problem at present context.

The current political stand of the TELO is that a structure of autonomy should be created that would let us to rule ourselves in our region.

This should include the self governing structure with decision making powers, in the matters of importance such as land sharing, justice, educational development, economical development and social security.

If an autonomy structure that fulfills the basic political aspirations of our people is not established, there will be a state where the future generation of Tamils may take a decision of making a separate country is the only way.

Third Party

Observing the current trend of the Government of this country we don’t think that this Government itself would voluntarily come forward with any kinds of meaning solution for Tamils.

So in the matters of finding a solution to the ethnic problem, We consider, an intervention of a foreign Government is essential. India or some other country may play this role of third party.

TELO likes to remind India that it should not forget its important role in finding a solution to the Tamil national issue and it should not escape from its moral duty.

We would like to make a request to the People of Tamil Nadu and the political parties of Tamil Nadu and the other states of India that they must forget all their local political differences and they must act as one voice in the affairs of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

They must forget all the past bitterness if there is any, and act concentrating on the future benefits. They must think and act that the peaceful life of Tamils in Sri Lanka only is the security to the good of India.

As the representatives of affected party, TELO has supported the resolution related to Sri Lanka that was presented by American Government and passed with the support 26 countries at the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

We are not going to debate whether this resolution is powerful or not. We support the resolution for the only reason that the injustice done to our people had been taken to the level of United Nations.

America has done this at a time where no other country had ever thought or dared for a move like this.

America has recorded the injustice made to the Tamils nation in Sri Lanka as the second time in the history of United Nations assembly. By voting for this resolution 26 countries have officially acknowledged at the all country forum that the injustices done to the Tamils in this country.

As the content of the resolution is not perfect enough we have hesitation in accepting it fully. Any way without forwarding any criticism, just for the made of historical task our party is obliged to thank the Government of America.

We have the high expectation that the resolution that were already brought by the America and the resolution that could be brought in the future may take the wrong doers to the international courts. Any way we must act as the pushing forces to make the international countries to do that.

We have to keep those 26 countries who voted for this, in our side continuously and we must attempt to describe our reasons to the countries that were neutral on this resolution. For this we need to have unity and coordinated work plan amongst ourselves.

Tamil National Alliance

The Tamil Diaspora, the Tamils speaking people in Sri Lanka and the Tamils in Tamil Nadu should travel in one line.

We have to forget all our social and religious divisions, different economical status, the party differences, practical policy differences and we should not get entangled in meaningless contradictions and we must act united.

Essential of this unity only, our party joined with TNA 12 years before.

All the parties in TNA were created for Tamils. Majority of them born as armed movements for our people. Any way according to the need of time, giving up their uniqueness, we all got together as one alliance called TNA.

It is essential for all of us, today to make the TNA so strong. In the next growth step of TNA we must give a strengthened form to that.

Rather than being an election alliance we have to create a new growth that TNA is an officially registered political party really representing its people. This should be done by all the member parties. In this move towards the growth, for the sake of the unity of our race, we may have to forgo more.

TELO is ready to renounce all possible for the unity of the TNA. It expects all member parties to act with the same mentality of unity. But it is good that these give ups must be made by all parties equally. But expecting certain parties to make give ups or making the pressurised environment for this, would not be suitable. This sort of agreement that is made under pressurized environment will not make a sustainable unity.

We should not forget that the background, in which the political movement of TNA operated, is centralized on international community and they continually insisted on the strong unity of TNA.

We all the member parties of TNA should have the maturity to act with leadership qualities to respect and treat the other member parties equally. The expectation of TELO is that, out of this maturity the structure of the TNA should be shared proper equally among us, and all should be treated with honour.

Totally any one of us should not forget that the strong unity among us is basically needed, to move forward in the journey towards the betterment of our Tamil Nation.

Selvam Adaikalanathan

Leader

Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization

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