Tamil Studies, NZ, Press Release

The General Elections held on 2 April 2004 have conveyed through the voting pattern three stark truths.

1. By returning a vitriolic racist alliance – committed to a diehard Sinhala Buddhists-only Sri Lanka vision – to power, the Sinhala people and the Sinhala leadership have reiterated once more their zero credibility towards working out a negotiated settlement to the 85 years-old ethnic crisis and a lasting peace.

2. By returning this racist alliance to power the Sinhala people and Sinhala leadership have virtually annulled even the peace process meticulously carried forward during the last two years with commitment and endurance by both parties, facilitated by Norway and supported by the international community, and made a further addition to the numerous peace pacts breached unilaterally by the Sinhalese leaders in the past eighty five years. They have thereby epitomised the fact that General Elections and change of Governments are unhelpful in finding the long-anticipated political settlement.

3. By effecting a decisive defeat of the elements that disrespected the cause of Tamil rights and which worked against those rights, and by empowering the TNA to voice their cause in Parliament, for which the LTTE is engaged in serious dialogue within and without the country, the Tamils have once again reiterated their yearning for a settlement with dignity and peace.

The Sinhala and Tamil verdicts are poles apart and remind us the historic fact that ‘the twain’ shall never meet.

The Government of Sri Lanka is one – you cannot be rewriting agreements each time heads change.

This throws a great burden on the TNA and the Tamil diaspora to impress on the international community, especially the Tokyo Donor Nations that their role of umpire is over and that it is time they press forward to recognise the Tamils’ inviolable right to self-determination. 85 years of cheating is intolerable. There must be an end to endless talking and the breaking of agreements. Enough is enough.

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In this situation, it devolves upon the international community to ensure that this racist alliance now in power in the South does not force a military solution on the Tamils.

A.Theva Rajan, Coordinator
R.Selvarajah, General Secretary

Originally published April 15, 2004