Joint Statement by US and Diaspora Tamil Organizations in Support of House Resolution 1230

RALEIGH, NC, USA, July 5, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Tamil American and Diaspora Organizations jointly and warmly welcome the House Resolution 1230, which was introduced in Congress on May 15, 2024, calling for an Independence Referendum to resolve the political conflict between the Eelam Tamils and Sri Lanka.

BELOW, PLEASE FIND THE FULL STATEMENT:

H.Res. 1230 was introduced by Representative Wiley Nickel (NC-13). Representatives Mike Carey (OH-15), Danny Davis (IL-07), Don Davis (NC-01), Jeff Jackson (NC-14), Summer Lee (PA-12), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), and Susan Wild (PA-07) were all original cosponsors of the House Resolution.

We appreciate that the Resolution highlights the important historical context of the Vaddukkoddai Resolution of 1976, where the Tamil people asserted the right to self-determination of the Tamil nation and called for the restoration and reconstitution of an independent, free, sovereign, secular Tamil Eelam as the solution. H.Res. 1230 exposes the 6th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s constitution, which criminalizes Tamils’ free speech regarding their independence, and thus denies them their basic rights to freedom of expression. It recognizes the Tamil Genocide committed by Sri Lanka and affirms the Tamils’ right to self-determination. The resolution urges the United States Government to strengthen diplomatic channels with the Eelam Tamils. Furthermore, the resolution calls on the US and the international community to work towards an independence referendum to resolve the conflict.

This resolution has been introduced at a time when the human rights situation in Sri Lanka also continues to deteriorate, with ethnic tensions rising. Despite claims of reconciliation, the recent attacks against Tamil memorialization of the 15th anniversary of the Tamil genocide show the Sri Lankan government’s lack of political will for genuine justice and accountability. Tamils in the North-East continue to protest against ongoing militarization, land grabs, torture in arbitrary detention and other human rights abuses. The recent report on enforced disappearances released by the UN Human Rights Council highlights the continuing culture of impunity on the island.

We welcome this landmark resolution and urge other members of Congress to support it. We appeal to the United States Government and the international community to work with Sri Lanka to immediately restore Tamil people’s right to free speech, as guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We call on the US and the international community to collaborate with the United Nations to implement the resolution’s tenets and begin arranging an Independence Referendum in the Tamil homeland to resolve the conflict peacefully and democratically.

The following US Organizations are jointly endorsing this statement:
Tamil Americans United PAC (Tamil PAC), People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA), World Thamil Organization, Inc. (WTO), Ilankai Tamil Sangam (ITS), Federation of Global Tamil Organizations (FGTO), Sangam Global USA, Atlanta Thamizhar Peravai, Ilankai Tamil Mantram New Jersey Inc, Greater Atlanta Tamil Sangam, New Jersey Tamil Peravai (NJTaP), Tamils of Northern California, Muthamizh Munnetra Mandram (MmM), Tamil Research Institute (TRI), Atlanta Tamil Mandram (ATM), Virginia Tamil Sangam, Tamil Friends Circle of Southern California.

The following non US based Tamil Organizations are jointly endorsing this statement:
National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT), Australian Tamil Congress, ABC Tamil Oli, Ottawa Tamil Association (OTA), Tamil Genocide Memorial, Quebec Tamil Development Association, Norwegian Council Of Eelam Tamils, Council of Eelam Tamils in Germany, Maison du Tamil Eelam France, Danish Federation of Tamil Associations , Italian Council of Tamils, Finland Tamil Forum, National Council of New Zealand Tamils, Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils, Dutch Tamil Forum, National Council of Sweden Tamils, Campaign for Tamil Justice , Tamil Cultural Centre, CETUK, Global Tamil Movement, Vaughan Tamils’ Heritage and Cultural Organization, Trichy Loganathan Music Acadamy, World Tamil Refugees Forum, Sarvadesa Tamiler Center, World Harmony Forum, United Gandhiyan Nations, World Tamil Spiritual Forum, World Tamils Assembly, World Tamil Freedom Forum, World Tamil Diplomatic Forum, The International Centre for Prevention and Prosecution of Genocide (ICPPG), Vaughn Tamil Association, Tamil Youth Association, Tamil Information Centre (TIC), Canada Tamil Sangam, Tamils for Labour.

Over 50 prominent Tamil organizations from 15 countries have already joined the list of endorsements welcoming the H.Res 1230 landmark resolution and urging other members of Congress to support it. More organizations are continuing to endorse the House resolution.

In addition, more than 35 civil organizations and political parties from the homeland have welcomed the resolution and urged for its swift implementation.

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