TOP TAMIL LEADERS FROM SRI LANKA, INDIA AND THE DIASPORA INVITED TO ATTEND A CONFERENCE IN DURBAN ON THE FREEDOM OF TAMILS IN SRI LANKA

THE SUFFERING OF TAMILS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE By Subry Govender High-level Tamil leaders from Sri Lanka, India, and the diaspora have been invited to attend a conference in Durban early next month to support processes towards a "peaceful, free, just and democratic" future for Tamils in Sri Lanka. The conference, organised by the South African-based Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice (SGPJ) with the co-operation of the Government, follows the recent resolution adopted by the Un Human Rights Council in Geneva for a "special hybrid court" to be established in Sri Lanka to probe the violations of human rights. The court would include "Commonwealth and other foreign" judges, lawyers, prosecutors and investigators. Since the end of the civil war in 2009, when it's reported that between 40 000 and 140 000 Tamils were massacred, the Sri Lankan Government and soldiers are alleged to have continued to violate the human rights of Tamils in the North and East of the island. These human rights violations include the continued detentions of activists, invasion of Tamil land by the military and other Sri Lankan elements, lack of freedom of political expression, lack of media freedom, sexual rapes and harrassment and the general de-humanisation of the inhabitants. The SGPJ conference, which will be held on November 6 and 7 at the Coastlands Umhlanga in Durban, aims "to facilitate and encourage a discussion on the democratic future of Tamils in Sri Lanka". The secretary of the SGPJ, Mr Pregs Padaychee, said in a statement that the conference would also be "an opportunity for Tamil political organisations within Sri Lanka and Tamil diaspora organisations to meet and find common ground in the interests of our Tamil brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka". "The conference follows the highly successful meeting of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora organisations hosted by our South African Government and the Department of International Relations in London recently," said Mr Padaychee.

(TNA MP, M A Sumanthiran, invited to the conference) Some of the top Tamil leaders invited include Mr M.A. Sumanthiran, who is an MP for the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) in the Sri Lankan Parliament; Mr V Gopalsamy, popularly known as Vaiko, who is a relentless supporter of the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka through his Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), a political party active mainly in the state of Tamil Nadu; leaders of the AIDMK, which is led by Chief Minister Jayalalitha; and leaders of the DMK, which is led by veteran politician Mr Karunanidhi.

(Vaiko, a vocal leader for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka, also invited to attend the conference) There will also be Tamil representatives from England, United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore. South African Deputy President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa; other Government leaders; former Cabinet Minister, presidential spokesperson and ruling ANC stalwart, Mr Mac Maharaj; former UN Human Rights Commissioner, Justice Navi Pillay; former South African Constitutional Court judge and activist, Zac Yacoob; and Ms Yasmin Sooka of the Foundation for Human Rights, who has written extensively on the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka, are some of the South Africans who will address the two-day conference. ( PLIGHT OF TAMILS IN THE NORTH AND EAST OF SRI LANKA) The Durban conference is yet another gathering of Tamils from the diaspora and it's hoped that some positive developments will emerge at the end of the conference that will lead to freedom, justice and democracy for Tamils in Sri Lanka. There must be concrete changes in the lives of the people on the ground in the North and East of Sri Lanka. While the conference will be another opportunity for leaders to highlight the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka, it should not be a venue for those wanting to promote their egos. The freedom and human rights of the Tamils in the North and East of Sri Lanka are far more important. (MUCH-NEEDED UNITY ) It's also hoped that the Durban conference will lead to much-needed unity among the varied and disparate Tamil organisations around the world. - ends (Subry Govender/South Africa)