 World body to protect Tamils' rights mooted at NY talks
Hindu News Report in the Sri Lanka Island, 7 July 1984NANUET (New York State) The second international Tamil conference which ended here on July 1 resolved to create an organisation at the international level to secure the rights of the Tamil people. It also called for an impartial inquiry into the violation of the rights of Sri Lanka Tamils in recent times. By a resolution the conference, convened by representatives of the Eelam Tamil Association, called upon the various Tamil political groups in Sri Lanka to unite in their struggle against the Jayewardene Government. In the two days of deliberations, there were strong speeches, especially by Eelam Tamil leaders, but the outcome was moderate. Both in their speeches and behind the scene talks, they were urged by participants from Tamil Nadu to proceed with caution. For example, when a resolution was brought up for exploring the possibilities of a government-in-exile of Sri Lanka Tamils, the sponsor Mr. Jagadasan was counselled by several others, notably Mr. P. Nedumaran, conference president and leader of the Kamaraj Congress in Tamil Nadu, not to press his motion. This was neither the moment to proceed with it nor was it in conformity with the objectives of the conference. He eventually withdrew the motion. During the concluding day's discussions, speakers strongly denounced, the Jayewardene Government's action in inviting Mossad from Israel to crush the Tamil movement in the guise of curbing terrorism. The Rev. Philip Ratnapala, a church leader of Sri Lankan origin from Ottawa, alleged that the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher was secretly sending arms to the Jayewardene Government. He thanked both Mrs. Gandhi and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for looking after Tamil refugees and said they should not be handed over to Mr. Jayewardene. Democrats' support cited: Mr. Sri Thillaiampalam, president of the Eelam Tamil Association in the U.S., said the fact that Senators Alan Cranston and Edward Kennedy, both top Democrats, had moved a resolution in the Senate calling upon the U.S. President Mr. Reagan, to urge the Sri Lanka Government to seek a negotiated settlement of the Tamil issues showed that truth was on their side. From the Tamil Nadu leaders attending the conference, there was a renewed call for unity among the Sri Lanka Tamil leaders and for spreading Tamil culture among overseas Tamils of the younger generation. Tamil centre opened: The Tamil Nadu Speaker, Mr, Rajaram formally inaugrated a Tamil centre to be set up at New York by lighting two "kuthuvillakkus". Both Mr. Rajaram and Mr. K. Veeramani of the Dravida Kazhagam presented Tamil books for the library to be set up at the centre. The conference passed a resolution sponsored by Dr. W. Panchacharam, chief organiser, for the formation of a "Tamil International". The purpose will be to secure the physical well-being of the Tamil people, their cultural identities, their ancient culture and the human rights of Tamil people springing from "the inherent dignity of man" and, lastly, to preserve the civil and political rights of Tamil people to enable them to live in equality and freedom." The resolution was left vague enough to enable participants from different countries, especially those from Tamil Nadu to endorse it. A Working Group was set up with Mr. Satyendra, Mr. Chandrahasan, Mr. Ponnambalam and a representative of the Tamil United Liberation Front. The Tamil Nadu representative is Mr. Nedumaran. The group will take steps to set up the organisation. Call for unity: The unity resolution was moved by the TULF representative Mr. V. Yogeswaran. It called upon the various groups working for "separate State of Tamil Eelam" to coordinate their activities. "A grave situation for the Tamils has been created by the induction of Mossad and the British SAS. In meeting this it is necessary to forge unity among us," he said. The resolution was passed. At the instance of the Congress [I] member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu, Mr. Era Anbarasu, and with modifications proposed by Era Sezhiyan, President of the Janata Party in Tamil Nadu, the conference passed a resolution that called for an independent inquiry into the "crime of genocide" and "violation of human rights" by the Sri Lanka Government. The conference also resolved to observe July 25 as a day of mourning in mark of the Tamils in Sri Lanka killed in the army action. | 
The Second World Tamil Eelam Convention was organised by the Tamils of U.S.A. and Canada and was held on three days - 30 June, 1 July and 2 July. The Organising Committee was headed by Dr.Winston Panchacharam.