TAMILS POLITICAL SPACE RESTRICTED BY SRI LANKA'S 6TH AMENDMENT: VISUVANATHAN RUDRAKUMARAN (TGTE)

Object 1

"Due to this, the responsibility falls upon the shoulders of the Diaspora to articulate Tamils political aspirations fully." Tamils back home have demonstrated in the recent elections, that their quest for freedom cannot be suppressed, despite political repression and massive human rights abuses." Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran

NEW YORK, USA, September 26, 2013 1) Tamils back home have demonstrated in the recent elections, that their quest for

freedom cannot be suppressed, despite political repression and massive human rights abuses. 2) Sri Lankan President Rajapakse will join the ranks of war criminals Pinochet, Charles Taylor and Fugimore. 3) Due to lack of political space inside the island, responsibility falls upon the shoulders of the Diaspora to articulate Tamils political aspirations fully. In a protest rally against the Sri Lankan President outside the UN in New York, the Prime Minister of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) Mr. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran said that Tamils political space and Freedom of speech is restricted in Sri Lanka by the 6th Amendment. Due to this, the responsibility falls upon the shoulders of the Diaspora to articulate Tamils political aspirations fully. He urged United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to appoint an International Commission of Inquiry under Article 99 of the UN Charter, which gives authority to the UN Secretary General to appoint a Commission of Inquiry. He also said that Sri Lankan President Rajapakse will join the ranks of war criminals Pinochet, Charles Taylor and Fugimore. The rally, called Pongu Tamil rally, was held on September 24th and attended by hundreds of Americans and Canadians. He further said that: It is a shame that a perpetrator of genocide the Sri Lankan President, is allowed to address a forum which adopted the convention on the Prevention and Punishment of The Crime of Genocide. It is a shame that a perpetrator of Crimes Against Humanity whose racist aggression which resulted in the killings of more than 100,000 people is allowed to address a forum which adopted the Rome Statute. It is a shame a war criminal is allowed to address a forum which promulgated the R2P. We understand that his position as the Head of a member state of the UN allows him to sneak through the gates of the U.N. Thus in order to put an end to impunity, in order to ensure accountability, in order to protect the very integrity of the UN itself we call upon the UN Secretary General to appoint an International Commission of Inquiry in the exercise of his inherent power under Article 99 of the U. N. Charter. At the same time we challenge the Sri Lankan President, in the name of justice, in the name of the rule of law, in the name of universal jurisdiction, not to hide behind the veil of Head of State immunity, not to hide behind the shield of U.N immunity,

explicitly renounce those immunities and travel to any civilized country. This challenge is equally applicable to any leader of the Sri Lankan political military establishment. Even if he doesnt do it now, we can assure him that he will join the ranks of Pinochet, Charles Taylor, Fujimore and other violators of humanitarian and human rights laws. Brother and sisters, our brethren back home even after the genocide, even while living in a state of terror, in a state of torture, disappearance, sexual violence have demonstrated that their quest for freedom cannot be suppressed by the Sinhala boots. They have demonstrated that we Eelam Tamils are a distinct nation, we Eelam Tamils have traditional homeland. We Eelam Tamils posses the inherent right to self determination. We salute their bravery, we salute their steadfastness. Since their political space is restricted by the 6th Amendment, since their freedom of speech is restricted by the 6th Amendment, it falls upon the shoulders of the Diaspora to articulate our political aspirations fully. Given the fact that more than 100, 000 Eelam Tamils were killed in Mullivaikal on account of their Tamil Nationality, given the fact that more than 90, 000 were made as war widows, we tell the international community, the time of reconciliation has passed. As Milton aptly said never can true reconcilement grow where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep. We tell our Sinhala brethren that we will have friendly relations based on sovereign equality. Together, the Eelam Tamils, the Tamil Disapora and the Tamils across the globe, especially with our Tamil Nadu brethren we exercise our right to self determination in a remedial fashion. The call of the hour is remedial self determination. We call upon India to expedite this process based on same moral principle on which it contributed to the creation of Bangladesh. The tide has started to turn. With globalization and technological innovation, the peoples power has been unleashed. The questions is not if. The question is when. With sacrifices, with dedication and determination, with tears and sweat through democratic and diplomatic means well establish Tamil Eelam in our lifetime. The Thirst of Tamil is Tamil Eelam. ABOUT TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL EELAM (TGTE): Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a new political concept, formed after the mass killing of Tamils in the final months of the war in 2009. It is a new political formation based on the principles of nationhood, homeland and

self-determination. The raison detre for the TGTE is lack of political space inside the island of Sri Lanka for the Tamils to articulate and realize their political aspirations fully due to Constitutional impediments, racist political environment and military strangulation; and the coordination of diaspora political activities based on democratic principles and the rule of law. TGTE held internationally supervised elections in 12 countries. These elections were held to ensure that core believe of democracy be upheld within the TGTE and to demonstrate TGTE's belief and reliance upon democratic ideals. TGTE has a bicameral legislature and a Cabinet. Although an elected body, TGTE does not claim to be a government in exile. The Constitution of the TGTE mandates that it should realize its political objective only through peaceful means. The TGTE next elections will be held on October 26, 2013. The TGTE promulgated a Freedom Charter on May 18, 2013 incorporating Freedom Demands of the Tamils across the globe. Presently, in addition to the campaign for an international investigation, the TGTE is also campaigning for an International Protection Mechanism and the release of documents pertaining to Tamils prepared by the Office of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide. TGTE believes that the referendum among the Tamils inside the island of Sri Lanka and the Tamil diaspora will contribute to the political resolution of the Tamil national conflict. So far, the human cost has reached 100,000 as it grows. There are also 90,000 Tamil war widows. The Tamil women, especially female bread winners are subject to sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan security forces. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) +(33) 651-0553-00 email us here