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.