SOUTHSIDE FM RADIO INTERACTS WITH THE WORLD TAMIL DIASPORA

Delegates at the official opening of the Tamil Diaspora Solidarity conference Since our return to South Africa from the Tamil Diaspora Conference that was held in Mauritius between November 8 and 10, I have written to the officials and the delegates thanking them very sincerely for the well-organised and top class conference. The letter is re-produced below: MAURITIUS TAMIL TEMPLES FEDERATION ORGANISES A SUPER TAMIL SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE

Traditional drummers welcoming guests Vanakkam to one and all. It is with great pleasure that I want to take this opportunity of thanking the organisers, the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation(MTTF), the International Council for Tamil Eelam and the British Tamil Forum, for organizing such a well-structured conference on the hopes and aspirations of the Tamil Diaspora and the struggles for total liberation in Tamil Eelam. We were really amazed at the standard and quality of the welcome cultural ceremony and other functions associated with the conference. It was amazing to see that in a country where Tamil is not spoken fluently that the organisers could put together a superb cultural function of Tamil music and dance.

Mr Menon Maduray, chairperson of the MTTF, with guests from Malaysia Our sincere congratulations to Mr Menon, Mr Vegan and all the other officials for organizing a great event. It’s sincerely hoped that all the resolutions adopted at the end of the conference would be put into effect and directed to the United Nations and other international organisations. The struggles and protests of the Tamil Diaspora have not gone un-noticed. Only a few days after our conference, the Mauritian PM decided to boycott the CHOGM summit. There’s no doubt that his and those of the Candian and Indian Prime Ministers decisions have had some effect on the leaders who chose to attend the conference in blood-soaked Sri Lanka.

We in South Africa, through the Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka, will keep the fires burning and will be fully involved in the International Working Group. In this regard, I would like to suggest that our initiative to launch a South Indian radio station will be a major boost to the struggles once we launch. Here is our project:

INTRODUCTION: It was today, 153 years ago, on November 16 1860 that our forefathers were brought from South India and other parts of the Indian continent to work as indentured labourers (slaves) on the sugar plantations in the then Natal Colony, which was colonized by the British.

Tamil indentured labourers who worked as slaves on sugar plantations in the then Natal Colony in South Africa Over the past 153 years our forefathers and mothers toiled on the SUGAR ESTATES to create a new life for their descendants. Today, we run into five and six generations in most descendants of Indian origin. Our ancestors, despite the suffering, discrimination and exploitation, concentrated on encouraging their children and future generations to achieve the highest in the educational, social, economical, sporting and political fields. As a result, tens of thousands of Indian-origin people in South Africa have become doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, engineers, IT specialists, business and professionals in almost every field. Many of our political leaders also played very vital roles in the struggles against apartheid and white minority rule in South Africa.

Late Cabinet Minister, Mr Roy Padaychie Some of these leaders include Dr Monty Naicker, Dr Kesaval Goonam, Mr M N Pather, Mr Billy Nair, Mr Swaminathan Gounden, and countless others. While we have achieved the highest in all fields and made tremendous sacrifices, we find that we have become too westernized and we are losing out in the promotion of the Tamil language and culture to all the more than 700 000 people who have their origins and mother tongues in Tamil. It was because of this situation that some of the former political activists and current cultural leaders got together in 2009 to initiate the launch of a radio station that will cater for people who can trace their roots to Tamil and Telugu.

Members of the Board of Governors of Southside FM Radio Some of these leaders are Mr Subry Govender, senior and veteran struggle journalist; Mr Swaminathan Gounden, former political activist; Mr Balan Gounder, current chairperson of the Merebank Tamil School Society in Durban; Mr Denis Naidoo, a former political activist and current cultural leader; Mrs Sally Padaychie, a former political activist and wife of the late cabinet minister Mr Roy Padaychie; Mr Richard Naidoo, a senior leader of the Andhra Maha Sabha of South Africa; Mr Seelan Archary, president of the Mount Edgecombe Mariammen Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre; Ms Keresha Govender, a cultural activist; and Ms Thirupuriesundrie Govender, a cultural activist.

Sugar cane indentured labourers Over the past four years we have promoted the radio station among our people and also managed to register the Southside FM Radio as a Non-Profit Organisation and obtain a five-year licence. We also through the late Tamil-origin Cabinet Minister, Mr Roy Padayachie, have been applying for a frequency to operate legally in the country. But unfortunately at every turn we have been stifled by the authorities stating that they don’t have a frequency to offer us in the Durban region. The untimely death of Mr Padaychie further aggravated our situation. But just a few weeks before the Tamil Diaspora Solidarity Conference in Mauritius between November 8 and 10, we began another round of negotiations with the authorities, this time with the new Minister of Communications, Mr Yunus Carrim, our former struggle colleague. He promised that he would do everything in his power to ensure that we are granted a frequency.

Minister Yunus Carrim While I was in Mauritius, the Minister wanted to meet us but unfortunately this could not take place. Now his officials are trying to arrange another meeting with us as soon as possible. Our situation at the moment is that we are only waiting for a frequency to start broadcasting. We have the following structures in place: 1. Board of Governors: A Board of Governors has been formally structured to take charge of the radio station. The members are Mr Balan Gounder, chairperson; Mr Subry Govender, Initiator and secretary; Ms Keresha Govender, treasurer; Ms Thirupuriesundrie Govender (asst secretary); Mr Richard Naidoo, deputy chairperson; Mr Swaminathan Gounden; Mr Denis Naidoo; Mr Logan Naidoo and Ms Sally Padaychie. 2. PREMISES: We will be situated at the Mount Edgecombe Mariammen Cultural Centre. 3. STAFF : We have already received more than 30 applications from young people who want to be Presenters, advertising representatives, journalists. The staff will only be identified and appointed once our frequency is finalized. 4. FINANCE : We have already raised funds to the region of R600 000 but we need nearly R2-million to build our studio and pay for the broadcast services until we are able to become self-sufficient through advertising. 5. CONTENT: The Radio station will promote the cultures, languages, traditions and music of the people of South Indian origin – mainly Tamil and Telegu. In addition, we hope to broadcast material from the Tamil diaspora and promote unity among the diaspora. 6. SECULAR: We will be a secular radio station with no religious bias. Our aim will be to promote unity in diversity.

Some of the delegates at the Mauritius conference CO-OPERATION WITH THE TAMIL DIASPORA In order for us to run and manage a top class South Indian radio station we want to establish contacts with the Tamil diaspora in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, Reunion, Britain, France, Canada and other parts of the world. In this regard, we would be very grateful to receive inputs from our Tamil diaspora comrades in the above countries and elsewhere in so far as music, programmes and business side of the station is concerned. For instance, we could exchange programmes from our Diaspora colleagues in Mauritius, Malaysia, Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and other countries.

CONCLUSION: In view of the importance of the media in the promotion of our languages, cultures, traditions and music and the general liberation struggles of the Tamil people of Tamil Eelam, it is important that a radio station such Southside FM Radio is promoted and supported in all spheres.

We would be grateful to receive responses and confirmations about establishing lasting relationships. Thanks and kind regards. NANDRI Yours Subry Govender Secretary BOARD OF GOVERNORS: Mr Balan Gounder, chairperson; Mr Subry Govender, Initiator and secretary; Ms Keresha Govender, treasurer; Ms Thirupuriesundrie Govender (asst secretary); Mr Richard Naidoo, deputy chairperson; Mr Swaminathan Gounden; Mr Denis Naidoo; Mr Logan Naidoo and Ms Sally Padaychie.

SOUTH AFRICA'S POSITION ON SRI LANKA IS PUZZLING

South African President, Jacob Zuma, at the end of the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka last weekend announced that his Government would help the island country to achieve "national reconciliation". He made the statement after CHOGM was embroiled by allegations that Sri Lanka's top leaders should be subjected to an international inquiry into alleged serious human rights violations committed towards the last stages of the civil war in 2009. Journalist Subry Govender, who attended an international Tamil human rights conference in Mauritius early in November, writes that South Africa's position on Sri Lanka is a major disappointment..... .

WHY HAS SOUTH AFRICA NOT BEEN OUTSPOKEN ABOUT CLAIMS OF GENOCIDE IN SRI LANKA? Prior to the start and during the just-ended Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the Indian Ocean island of Sri Lanka, neither President Jacob Zuma nor his Foreign Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, or any other leaders made any statements about the alleged "war crimes" during the last days of the civil war on the island in 2009. The South African leaders and the Government adopted a somewhat and surprising "diplomatic silent" attitude despite vociferous calls by international human rights organisations, some governments and even leaders within the UN Human Rights Commission for an independent and international inquiry into the alleged massacre of Tamils - whose traditional homeland is in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Some of the human rights organisations had also called for the President of Sri Lanka, Mahindra Rajapakse, his brother, the defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and leaders of the military to be charged for "war crimes" at the International Court of Justice. CLAIMS OF GENOCIDE

These calls were made following allegations that between 40 000 to 70 000 Tamils were slaughtered by Sri Lankan soldiers during the final stages of the civil war in 2009. Britain's Channel 4 television network exposed the alleged "war crimes" in a series of documentary reports that has shocked and appalled most countries and leaders of the world.

NAVI PILLAY AND UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Even our own Navi Pillay, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, made a damning discovery during her week-long, fact-finding mission to the Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka two months ago. She was reported as saying that she was shocked at the levels of trauma and emotional distress she encountered among the people she met in the North and East of the island.

UN Commissioner of Human Rights, Ms Navi Pillay In her initial report, she found, among other assaults on human rights, that the Sri Lankam Government maintained an "oppressive and intrusive" military presence in Tamil majority areas of the North and East; a "recent surge in incitement of hatred and violence against religious minorities, including attacks on churches and mosques", without effective action being taken against the perpetrators; and a continued failure to investigate allegations of "war crimes in a credible and independent manner". Pillay affirmed the findings of the International Crisis Group that the Sri Lanka Government had spurned suggestions for reforms as called for by the UN Human Rights Council last March and this year. Pillay also found that the Sri Lankan Government had even failed to implement the core recommendations of its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

British Prime Minister, David Cameron BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Then during the summit itself (between Friday, November 15 and Sunday, November 17), British Prime Minister, Dave Cameron, after coming under intense pressure from Amnesty International and other human rights organisations, made a rushed visit to the North and East of the island. During his brief visit, Cameron saw for himself the devastation and destruction and came under pressure from the Tamil people for the international community to investigate the genocide and the continuing "structural genocide" that they allegedly face. On his return from the North to the CHOGM summit in Colombo, the British Prime Minister said he was concerned at what he had seen during his very brief visit. He announced that he would use his office to call for an international inquiry if the Sri Lankan Government does not conduct and conclude its own investigations within four months. Against the background of recriminations by Rajapakse and his government, Cameron said: "Let me be very clear. If an investigation is not completed by March, then I will use our position on the United Nations Human Rights Council to work with the UN Human Rights Commission and call for a full credible and independent international inquiry." He added: "Ultimately all of this is about reconciliation. It is about bringing justice and closure and healing to this country which now has a chance of a much brighter future. That will only happen by dealing with these issues and not ignoring them."

The findings of the International Crisis Group, Ms Pillay's UN Human Rights Council and Mr Cameron's own concerns were supported by delegates attending the Tamil Diaspora Solidarity conference held in the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius between November 8 and 10. TAMIL DIASPORA CLAIMS

Delegates at the Tamil Diaspora Conference in Mauritius The delegates included Sri Lankan Tamils living in exile; the Deputy Chief Minister of the Penang state in Malaysia, Professor Dr P Ramasamy; Mrs Kamachy Doray Rajoo, a member of the Pengang Provincial Assembly; Mr Kula Segaran, a member of the National Assembly in Malaysia; and several political leaders from the Tamil Nadu state in India. The President of the Tamil National People’s Front and General Secretary of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress in Sri Lanka, Mr G G Ponnambalam, told the conference that the Sri Lankan regime was carrying out various human rights violations to "annihilate and eliminate" Tamil Eelam. "These include the militarization of the North and East, the colonization of the North and East with Sinhala migrants from the south, land grabs of traditional Tamil land, continued murders and killings of our people, forced dispersal of our people from their homes and land, destruction of our economy, culture and education. "All this structural genocide is taking place following the massacre and genocide of 40 000 to 70 000 people during the last days of the war in 2009, the disappearance of some 147 000 people whose plight is not known, and the rapes and murders of thousands of women. "We are facing a serious problem as more than 80 000 women have been left widows following the killings of their menfolk," said Mr Ponnambalam. "All these actions and attacks are aimed at the systematic elimination of the Tamil people as a nation." MAURITIAN PRIME MINISTER

Mauritian PM, Navichandra Ramgoolam Two days after the conference the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navichandra Ramgoolam, announced that he would not attend the CHOGM summit in Sri Lanka because of his concerns over the human rights violations against the Tamils in Sri Lanka. He joined the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in boycotting CHOGM. The Indian Prime Minister was forced to miss the summit after the Tamil Nadu Assembly and its Chief Minister, Jayalalitha, in South India passed a unanimous resolution, calling on the Indian Government to demonstrate its stance against the alleged genocide and human rights violations against the Tamils in the North and East of Sri Lanka. SOUTH AFRICA'S "DIPLOMATIC SILENCE"

The 12-year-old son of Velupillai Prabhakaran who was executed by Sri Lankan soldiers Unfortunately, in our own case, despite the background from where we come in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma and his fellow leaders not only adopted "diplomatic silence" on Sri Lanka, but Zuma also attended CHOGM. He chose to attend the summit despite calls by human rights organisations, such as the Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka(SGPJ), that South Africa should stay away to express its abhorrence at the violation of the human rights of the Tamil people. The stance of Zuma and the Government came as something of a surprise as the ruling ANC had at one time sympathised with the cause of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and also after our own freedom in 1994, the ANC collaborated with the Tamils in the struggles for peace and justice in Sri Lanka. One of our senior leaders, Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, the current Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, also at one time headed a special committee to promote the rights of Tamils and to bring about peace in Sri Lanka. The late former Cabinet Minister, Roy Padaychie, was also involved in promoting a just solution in Sri Lanka. He was responsible for setting up the Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka. HYPOCRITICAL ATTITUDE

President Jacob Zuma shaking hands of Rajapakse of Sri Lanka during the CHOGM summit Zuma's "diplomatic silence" on the war crimes, therefore, disappointed many in South Africa and other countries.

SA Foreign Minister, Maite Nkoane-Mashabane, in Sri Lanka prior to the CHOGM summit The Foreign Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who arrived in Colombo earlier to take part in pre-CHOGM talks, also failed to raise the issue of human rights violations in Sri Lanka publicly. Her stance was somewhat hypocritical when compared to her position on Israel and the Palestinian issue. Early in November she announced that South African Ministers did not visit Israel and would stay away until the situation in Israel had improved. She was quoted as saying: "We have agreed to slow down and curtail senior leadership contact with that regime until things begin to look better. The struggle of the people of Palestine is our struggle." Why couldn't Nkoana-Mashabane espouse the same values in the case of the Tamils in Sri Lanka? What's the difference? From all accounts the Palestinians and the Tamils in Sri Lanka suffer equally. They are being frustrated and suffocated in their struggles to nation-hood and freedom. INTERNAL INQUIRY NOT THE ANSWER

At the end of CHOGM last weekend, Zuma tried to make up for South Africa's "diplomatic silence" by saying in an interview that he had held discussions with Rajapaksa and the leaders of the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) about the "the role that could be played by South Africa in assisting the people of Sri Lanka to resolve their problems through engagement". He said South Africa would assist Sri Lanka by sharing its experience of "national reconciliation". But from all accounts, Zuma and the Government's stance on Sri Lanka is difficult to understand. What has led to South Africa adopting such a pathetic position? Are there other interests? What Zuma and his fellow leaders must understand that the Tamils in Sri Lanka, Tamils in the Diaspora, several governments and human rights organisations and leaders will will not accept an internal inquiry as they believe that the Sri Lankan Government and its leaders have a lot to hide? Only an independent and international inquiry under the banner of the United Nations will be acceptable. Like the Palestininians, the Tamils in Sri Lanka also claim their right to nation-hood as they were the original inhabitants of the island many centuries before the forefathers of the majority Singalese migrated from the north of India to the south of Sri Lanka. - ends (Subry Govender)

TAMIL DIASPORA CONFERENCE CALLS ON INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO STOP THE CONTINUING GENOCIDE OF TAMILS IN SRI LANKA

Delegates at the official opening ceremony of the Tamil Solidarity Diaspora Conference in Mauritus By Subry Govender The people of Tamil Eelam, situated in the North and East of the Indian Ocean island of Sri Lanka, are facing annihilation at the hands of the Sri Lankan Government. This is the claim that was made at the recently-completed International Conference on Tamil Diaspora Solidarity held in Mauritius between November 8 to 10. The conference, hosted by the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation, the International Council of Tamil Eelam and the British Tamil Forum, was attended by more than 200 delegates from several countries where the Tamil people live. The countries include Mauritius; Malayasia; Singapore; South Africa; Australia; New Zealand; Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in India; the United Kingdom; United States; Canada; France; Sweden and Norway. Some of the prominent leaders who attended and graced the official opening ceremony and conference were the President of Mauritius, Mr Rajkeswur Purrya; the leader of the opposition in Mauritius, Mr Paul Raymond Berenger; Mr Soondrassen Menon Murday, president of the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation(MTTF), Mr Ganessen Annavee, president of the Union of Tamils in Mauritius; Mr Steven Pushparajah, president of the International Council of Tamil Eeelam; Mr Daniel Minienpoulle, president of Tamil Federation of Reunion; Mr Rajendrakumar G Ponnambalam, President of the Tamil National People’s Front in Sri Lanka; Mr Thiruchchoti, secretary of the International Council of Tamil Eelam; Mr Mohan Ramakrishnan, chairperson of the National Council of Canadian Tamils; Dr Paul Newman, Indian expert on the violation of Tamil rights in Sri Lanka; the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang, Malaysia, Professor Dr P Ramasamy; Mrs Kamache Doray Rajoo, a member of the Penang Provincial Assembly in Malaysia; Mr Kula Segaran, a member of the National Assmebly in Malaysia; Dr K Krishnasamy, a member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly in India. During the three-day conference, the delegates, not only highlighted the continued structural genocide of the people in Tamil Eelam, but also disclosed details of the acute discrimination suffered by Tamils in Malaysia, the denial of citizenship rights to some 300 000 Tamils by the Malaysian Government, and the situation of some 134 000 Tamil Eelam refugees in Tamil Nadu, India. The conference delegates also highlighted the passion shown by Tamil people in South Africa, Mauritius, Reunion and other diaspora countries to promote the Tamil language, culture and tradition. Speaking about the continued structural genocide being carried out by the Sri Lankan Government in Tamil Eelam, Mr G G Ponnambalam, President of the Tamil National People’s Front and General Secretary of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, told the conference that the Sri Lankan regime was carrying out various human rights violations to “annihilate and eliminate” Tamil Eeelam. “These include the militarization of the North and East, the colonization of the North and East with Sinhala migrants from the south, land grabs of traditional Tamil land, continued murders and killings of our people, forced dispersal of our people from their homes and land, destruction of our economy, culture and education. “All this structural genocide is taking place following the massacre and genocide of 40 000 to 70 000 people during the last days of the war in 2009, the disappearance of some 147 000 people whose plight is not known, and the rapes and murders of thousands of women. “We are facing a serious problem as more than 80 000 women have been left widows following the killings of their menfolk,” said Mr Ponnambalam. “All these actions and attacks are aimed at the systematic elimination of the Tamil people as a nation.” Another delegate, Mr V. Manivannan, a senior official of the Tamil National People’s Front and the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, said the Tamil people were fighting for “complete liberation”. “We as a Tamil nation are facing serious problems and the world must work out a solution so that we can have our own independent state. If this is not done, then there will never be peace,” he said. Mr S A N Rajkumar, Senior Strategic Advisor of the British Tamil Forum, said the Tamil people wanted “complete liberation”. “Tamils all over the world should support this struggle for Eelam Tamil liberation,” he said. “We have a right to self-determination and an independent state.” Mr Rajkumar told the conference that the development agenda of the Sri Lankan regime following the genocide at the end of the war in 2009 “has now become a total genocide against the Tamil people”. “The Sri Lankan regime is following other international models to occupy Tamil land in order to make the Tamil people disappear from their traditional land,” he said. “Land occupation started 20 years before 1963 and now it is being intensified through land grabs and militarization. This is aimed at politically marginalizing the Tamil people and to demographically change our Tamil homeland.” Dr Paul Newman, a Kerala-based expert on Sri Lanka, said a number of countries should also bear responsibility for the Sri Lankan genocide against the Tamils in 2009. “These countries include India, United States, Russia and China because all of them provided arms and ammunition to the Sri Lankan regime,” he said. “The Sri Lankan President, Rajapakse, his brother, other military leaders and Pranab Mukherjee of India must stand trial for the genocide against the Tamils.” The conference, in one of several resolutions, unanimously resolved to call on the international community to conduct an “international independent investigation” into the genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan state against the Tamil people. The resolution stated that the International Conference of the Tamil Diaspora delegates called upon the international community to set up a transitional administration in the Tamil homeland, which is situated in the North and East of the island of Sri Lanka, in order to stop the ongoing structural genocide. “We the ICTD call upon the international community to conduct a UN-sponsored referendum among the Tamils living in the island of Sri Lanka and in the Diaspora. “We the Tamil people call upon the international community to recognise that the Tamils in the Island of Sri Lanka are a nation based on their right to self-determination. “Tamils in the North and East of Sri Lanka should be represented in the UN and other international forums and organizations.” The delegates also unanimously resolved that the Tamil language and cultural identity bound the diaspora Tamils together. In this regards the conference resolved that: “Tamils are a distinct people with a unique language and culture. It is imperative that the Tamils secure a Nation state to nurture and advance their language, culture and values. “Though Tamils live in many parts of the world, there is no political and international representation at the multi-national forums. In some parts of the world, Tamil culture, Language and existence are under threat. This was manifested after the massacre of Mullivaaikal and the dismantlement of the Tamil Defacto state. “A just war for the defence of the Right of Self Determination defined in the United Nations Charter and in the Declaration Universal of the Human Rights, ended with the killing of 40 000 Tamils, according to the United Nations Report which also says it might be more. But still 146 679 people are still missing. “Hence Tamils should explore a legal framework to protect Tamil identity and way of life.” It was further resolved that in pursuit for Global Tamil Renaissance and the defence of the Tamil people’s rights and dignity, the conference has decided to set up an International Working Group. “This group will in addition work towards the establishment of coercive, progressive and secular global Tamil community, regardless of geographical boundaries.” The resolutions adopted at the conference seemed to have had an effect on the Mauritian Prime Minister, Mr Navichandra Ramgoolam. Two days after the conference he announced that he would not be attending the CHOGM summit in Sri Lanka because of his concerns over the human rights violations against the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of South African President, Jacob Zuma, who chose to attend the summit despite calls by human rights organisations, such as the Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka, that South Africa should also boycott the CHOGM summit in Sri Lanka to express its disgust at the violation of the human rights of the Tamil people.

Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlall Nehru would be embarrassed at the current New Delhi Government's stance on the genocide against Tamils in Sri Lanka

By Subry Govender Veteran South African struggle journalist I saw the Channel 4 reports on the war crimes perpetrated by the Sri Lankan Government and its soldiers. I was shocked into disbelief at the kind of atrocities and the genocide committed against the Tamil civilians towards the latter part of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009. I have seen men and women tied and shot from the back by the Sri Lankan soldiers.

What was more shocking and inhuman was the brutal humiliation and slaying of the TV presenter, Isai Priya. How can a government led by Rajapakse and his brother, Basil, commit such war crimes and still get away with it. It's tragic that India has not yet spoken out against the genocide of some 60 000 Tamils when it has such a huge Tamil population of its own. The Tamil Nadu Assembly has taken a unanimous decision calling on the New Delhi Government and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to attend the CHOGM summit in mid-November. Similar calls have been made by the Tamil diaspora in South Africa, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Australia and other countries but the Indian Government has still not taken any decision to boycott the CHOGM summit.

It just demonstrates that New Delhi does not care about the atrocities and genocide committed against the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Now, to add further ammunition to claims that it is protecting Rajapakse and his pack of war criminals, India is refusing to grant a visa to the producer of the Channel 4 documentaries about Rajapakse's war crimes. The Tamil diaspora will be holding an International Conference in Mauritius between Nov 8 and 10 to discuss the oppression of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Delegates from India and Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, UK, United States, Canada, Australia and other countries would be attending.

The South African Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka has already called on its government to boycott the CHOGM summit and for the international community to pursue war crimes against the Sri Lankan Government leaders and others responsible for the genocide.

It's hoped that India would stop acting like a coward and take the lead, like Canada and Australia, in boycotting the CHOGM summit and also leading the way in pursuing war crimes against Rajapakse, his brother and others who gave orders for the senseless killings, rapes and murders of innocent men, women and children. One hopes that New Delhi will show some backbone and stop kow-towing to the people allegedly responsible for the slaying, torture and rapes of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. It must be pointed out that not all Singalese are guilty of these war crimes. It's only the present Sri Lankan Government under Rajapakse, his brother and the soldiers who were given carte blanche licence to go on a rampage against the innocent souls of the north and east of Sri Lanka. If Mahatma Gandhi and Pundit Jawaharlall Nehru were alive today they would not have sat back and accepted what has taken place against the Tamils. They would have spoken out loudly and vociferously. What sayest thou Prime Minister Manmohan Singh?