Tamil Diaspora to publicly renounce violence and separatism

by P.K. Balachandran

The once anti-Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora is likely to issue a statement renouncing violence and separatism, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, told parliament on Friday.

"As a result of our discussions (in London last weekend), and our efforts, it is most likely that the Diaspora groups which were previously hostile to Sri Lanka, would issue a declaration renouncing violence and commit themselves to working towards a united, undivided Sri Lanka," Samaraweera said.

Samaraweera was offering a detailed answer to the Leader of the Opposition, Nimal Sripala de Silva, who had asked a number of questions pertaining to the meeting with the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and a few Western peaceniks.

Samaraweera denied that the issue of lifting the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was discussed. He also denied that there was any discussion on "war crimes" and the proposed domestic mechanism to investigate charges of war crimes.

It was not a meeting which took place behind the back of the President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Both the President and the PM had been kept fully informed, the Minister said.

However, there was discussion about de-listing those Diaspora groups and individuals who were merely voicing the concerns of the Tamil people. As per the notification banning these entities and individuals, an annual review is mandatory. That review is to be done by the Competent Authority mentioned in the notification, the Minister said.

Justifying the meeting, Samaraweera said that it was mandated by both the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and the Sirisena government's declared policy of reaching out to Sri Lankans who were alienated from their motherland by the narrow minded policies of the previous government (led by Mahinda Rajapaksa).

The Sirisena government is building bridges which had been burnt by the previous government, and Diaspora groups and countries which had been alienated are now coming on board, Samaraweera said.

-Indian Express