Upcoming Conference Statement: Liberation Struggle for Tamil Self-determination: 20 Years After
Liberation Struggle for Tamil Self-determination: 20 Years After The Importance of the Delisting of LTTE for the Exercise of Socio-political Equality for Global Tamil Diaspora Marking 20 years since the 2002 Norwegian facilitated Ceasefire agreement between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) on 22 February 2002, the Canadian Tamil organizations are hosting a conference that will focus on: The impact and consequence of the listing of LTTE as a terrorist organization, a movement that was fighting in defence of the right to Self-determination of Eelam Tamils. The prolonged extension of the listing of LTTE as a terrorist organization despite the movement having ceased its operations in 2009. Understanding that the continuous renewal of the ban that stigmatizes and discriminates against the whole Tamil diaspora that has been fighting for the rights of Tamils in Eelam using democratic means. Ever since the British colonial rulers left Ceylon in 1948, Tamils have been subjected to periodic pogroms resulting in the killing of thousands and thousands of innocent Tamil civilians. In 1976, after three decades of failed non-violent protests against the genocide perpetrated by the GOSL, Tamils chose through a democratic process to establish an independent state of Tamil Eelam. This democratic mandate of the Tamils in 1976-77 was countered by the Sinhalese-led governments [...]