Tamil civil society groups call on Pope to North-East
14 July 2014
A network of Tamil civil society groups from the North-East called on the Pope to ensure his upcoming trip to the island includes a visit to the North-East in a letter on Sunday, urging the Pope to call on the Sri Lankan government to stop colonising Tamil land, account for the war-dead and disappeared, and ensure a political solution for the Tamil people.Extracts from the letter by representatives of the Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) are reproduced below.
See full letter here.
14 July 2014A network of Tamil civil society groups from the North-East called on the Pope to ensure his upcoming trip to the island includes a visit to the North-East in a letter on Sunday, urging the Pope to call on the Sri Lankan government to stop colonising Tamil land, account for the war-dead and disappeared, and ensure a political solution for the Tamil people.Extracts from the letter by representatives of the Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) are reproduced below.
See full letter here.
“In the post-war context the Government of Sri Lanka, despite invoking the rhetoric of ‘reconciliation’ has been engaged in acts that are designed to weaken the Tamil Nation. The heavy presence of the military in Tamil areas, appropriation of lands belonging to the Tamil people for use by the Sri Lankan Army, the settlement of Sinhalese in what are historically the traditional homeland of the Tamil people (the North & East of the island), the all perverse use of torture and violence in the everyday lives of the Tamil people, the denial of livelihood support for the war affected population are some examples of the real face of ‘reconciliation’ underway.”
“The recent incidents of violence against the Muslim community are an extension of this larger project to consolidate the Sinhala Buddhist nature of the Sri Lankan state. Both the GoSL’s conduct of the war and their handling of the post- war context, the Tamil people believe amounts to a structural genocide of the Tamil Nation.”“We are confident that Your Holiness will appreciate, following your visit to Sri Lanka, that Sri Lanka is not merely lacking in ‘reconciliation’ but that the problem is far worse than that - as we have tried to describe above, the problem is one of consolidating an ethnocratic state. Your Holiness will no doubt recall that it is this ethnocratic project that led the Tamil people to take up arms against the Sri Lankan state.”
“While we welcome your visit, which may provide to be a potential blessing for the war affected Tamil people, it is is likely that the Government will make use of your visit to boost its standing amongst the international community of states.”
“Alternatively or additionally, Your Holiness could visit the Our Lady of Madu Church in Mannar, and meet the affected people, pray for those who died in the war and call for accountability, justice and a genuine political solution.”
“During your meeting with Head of the State in Colombo we wish to suggest that you openly call upon his Government to stop militarising and colonizing Tamil lands, to restore the troop presence in the North and East to pre-war levels, end violence against women, honestly address the problems of the disappeared and the abducted including Rev. Fathers T. N. Jim Brown and G. A. Frances Joseph, accelerate the process by which surrendered detainees and all those who are in in communicado detention are released and allow people to remember the dead.”
“We have no faith in the Sri Lankan establishment. The only reason for requesting Your Holiness to raise this issue in your meeting with the Sri Lankan President is so that these issues may get more prominence and attention.”
