SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT’S CALL FOR 'SRI LANKAN IDENTITY' SPARKS CONCERNS OVER GENOCIDE INTENT – TGTE

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, December 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In recognition of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime, the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) highlights statements made by Sri Lanka’s President Dissanayake in his November 10, 2024, speech as evidence of "specific intent" to undermine Tamil identity. This speech reiterated a call for a "Sri Lankan identity," which TGTE asserts prioritizes a unified national identity at the expense of the distinct Tamil identity.

According to TGTE, the call for a singular national identity may align with actions that meet the criteria of genocide under the United Nations’ Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The convention defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.

President Dissanayake stated that his government is “committed to uniting all Sri Lankans under one flag,” which TGTE interprets as an effort to assimilate the Tamil population. TGTE points to historical and ongoing actions that include efforts to suppress Tamil culture and identity as contributing to concerns about Tamil sovereignty and survival.

Further echoing this concern, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s past writings, as cited by TGTE, suggest that calls for unity may sometimes reflect a majority-driven effort to diminish minority identities.

TGTE also references past statements from Sinhala political leaders who have linked resolving the national conflict to addressing economic crises. TGTE contends that such approaches seek to integrate Tamil communities into a Sinhala-dominated economic framework, potentially eroding the distinctiveness of Tamil identity and culture.

TGTE draws attention to the destruction of Tamil cultural markers, including Hindu temples, as additional evidence of efforts to assimilate or erase Tamil identity. TGTE claims these actions are part of a broader pattern aimed at undermining the viability of the Tamil Nation.

International Comparisons and Double Standards

TGTE references a March 27, 2024, report by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese titled “Anatomy of a Genocide,” which concluded that acts meeting the genocide threshold occurred in Gaza. TGTE highlights parallels between these findings and actions documented in Sri Lanka during the armed conflict. These include widespread civilian casualties, attacks on humanitarian sites, and denial of aid—all of which TGTE asserts align with definitions of genocide under Article II of the Genocide Convention.

TGTE also notes that the 2012 UN Panel of Experts Report on Sri Lanka documented acts that meet genocide criteria, although the term “genocide” was not explicitly used in the report. TGTE emphasizes the need for consistent global standards in addressing and labeling acts of genocide.

Call to Action

To mark International Victims of Genocide Day, TGTE urges individuals and states to recommit to preventing genocide and ensuring accountability for such crimes. TGTE advocates for a global effort to realize a world where the principle of "Never Again" is upheld through meaningful action.

Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran
Prime Minister
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

* ABOUT THE TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL EELAM (TGTE):

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a democratically elected Government of over a million strong Tamils (from the island of Sri Lanka) living in several countries around the world.

TGTE was formed after the mass killing of Tamils by the Sri Lankan Government in 2009.

TGTE held four internationally supervised elections among Tamils around the world to elect 132 Members of Parliament. It has two chambers of Parliament: The House of Representatives and the Senate and also a Cabinet.

TGTE is leading a campaign to realize the political aspirations of Tamils through peaceful, democratic, and diplomatic means and its Constitution mandates that it should realize its political objectives only through peaceful means. It’s based on the principles of nationhood, homeland and self-determination.

TGTE seeks that the international community hold the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide against the Tamil people to account. TGTE calls for an internationally conducted and monitored referendum to decide the political future of Tamils.

The Prime Minister of TGTE is Mr. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, a New York based lawyer.

Email: pmo@tgte.org
Twitter: @TGTE_PMO
Web: www.tgte-us.org

Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)
+1 614-202-3377
r.thave@tgte.org
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