Tamils - a Trans State Nation

பொங்கு தமிழ் - Pongu Thamil
in Tamil Eelam & Around the World - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006..

[also 1.  Senior Member of LTTE, V.Balakumaran in Tamil National Television on the Geneva Talks,  27 February 2006 and 2. Anton Balasingham interview with Sunday Leader after Geneva Talks, 26 February 2006 "... I told the (Sri Lanka) delegation that I have come with a specific mandate from Mr. Pirapaharan to only talk about the implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement. I said we will walk out if anybody raises anything or starts discussing constitutional or legal problems pertaining to this document. I said the moment you claim the CFA is incorrect, then you are coming out of the CFA. That means you are giving two weeks notice for the resumption of hostilities. You better think very carefully, I said...." more]

more pictures at tamilnaatham.com

Large number of Tamils thronged the grounds of Kadatkaraichchenai, a village in Muttur east for Tamil National Resurgence Convention, the first in the New Year in the northeast province held Tuesday evening. Thousands walked from several villages in the divisions of Vaakarai, Verugal and Eachilampathu to Kadatkaraichchenai, a village in the Muttur east, sources said.

Mr.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the LTTE, parliamentarians Mr.Thurairatnasingham and Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam and other activists are seen at the convention. All roads leading to the venue of the convention were gaily decorated with red and yellow flags and banners were displayed at every junction from Vakarai to Kadatkaraichchenai, the sources said.

Mrs. Gunanayagam Nageswary, mother of Black Tiger Major Jeyam lit the flame of sacrifice.

Mr.Thiryagarasapillai Arulananthan, father of Lt.Sivajini and Lt.Sathananthan (sister and brother) lit the common flame of sacrifice. Mr.Pathakutty Arasaretnam, father Major Thamilmaran and Mr.Kuttiyan, a member of auxiliary force (both brothers) hoisted the Thamileelam national flag.

Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian and Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam, Jaffna district parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the LTTE and several other Tamil activities participated in the rally, the sources said.

2005

Thousands of people gathered in Vavuniya Urban Council grounds Thursday at 3:30 p.m. to reaffirm July 27 Vavuniya Declaration. Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians, academics, religious leaders and social activists attended the event which also urged the European Union to reconsider its stand on travel restrictions on Liberation Tigers officials on visiting EU member states. Vavuniya was the venue of the initial Tamil National Resurgence Conference that proclaimed that an environment must be created to enable Tamils to decide their political destiny calling for the Sri Lankan Armed forces to vacate the land and seas of NorthEast.

 

வவுனியாவில் நடைபெற்ற தேசிய எழுச்சி மாநாட்டு நிகழ்வின் படத்தொகுப்பு

Tamil speaking people in large numbers from north, west and south of the Trincomalee district attended the Tamil National Resurgence Convention in the Playground located along the Inner Harbour Road in the east port city which is controlled by the Sri Lanka Army. Co-ordinating Committee of the Tamil national Resurgence in Trincomalee District, in the declaration, demanded the Sri Lanka troops to vacate the NorthEast land and seas and declared that the rally "demonstrates to the international community the thirst for freedom of the Tamil nation."

Trincomalee Declaration

Human rights activist-lawyer Mr.K.Sivapalan reading the Trincomalee Declaration at the end of Tamil National Resurgence ConventionHuman rights activist-lawyer Mr.K.Sivapalan reading the Trincomalee Declaration at the end of Tamil National Resurgence Convention

After a half century since the independence of the Sinhala nation, Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism has shut all the doors to a democratic and peaceful settlement of the problems of the Tamil speaking people.

In this context, we the Tamil speaking people inhabiting our traditional homeland are forced to place our desperate and perilous plight before the international community.

We the Tamils had our own Government in this Island before the European invasion. The British Government forced upon us the unitary form of Government for their colonial administrative convenience and annexed the Tamil Nation to the Sinhala Nation.

When the British quit this country in 1948, they handed over the governance to the numerically majority Sinhalese.

Thus after improperly acquiring the governance of the country, the Sinhala race used their numerical majority to mistreat and oppress our people.

Citizenship legislation was enacted to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of plantation Tamils. With the 'Sinhala Only' legislation, Tamils were deprived of their rights to language and employment. Emergency regulations and Prevention of Terrorism Act, as they are applied even today during the Ceasefire Agreement period, furthered the complete denial of Human Rights of the Tamils. Through systematic State sponsored colonization our traditional habitations were taken over by the Sinhalese adversely altering our demographic distribution and right to life especially in the East and more particularly in the Trincomalee District thereby making it impossible for Tamils to live in peace even in their own town, chosen by Tamil speaking as the Capital of the Tamil Nation.

Against such oppression and discrimination the Tamil leadership of yester years protested with peaceful non-violent political campaigns. Although as a result of it, Agreements such as "Banda-Chelva Pact 1957", "Dudley-Chelva Pact-1965" were entered into, they were both abrogated unilaterally due to the Sinhala Buddhist extremism led by sections of the Buddhist monks and Sinhala opposition party leaders.

The 1972 Republican Constitution and the 1978 Constitution with the Executive Presidential system were introduced without the participation or ratification of the Tamil people or their elected representatives, retaining Sinhalese as the Official Language of the country and making Buddhism the foremost religion of the State paving the way for racial and religious discrimination. The Constitution that should serve justice became the embodiment of injustice.

Considering the futility of winning over their rights and realizing that there was no Sinhala Statesman who will rise to the occasion and bring about a solution, the Tamils passed the Vaddukoddai Resolution on 14th May 1976 and on overwhelming Mandate was given by the people of the North-East in the 1976 Parliamentary Elections through ballot foe secession.

The majoritarian Sinhala State continuously brutally crushed the just struggle of Tamils using their armed forces composed almost entirely of the Sinhalese. Due to this the Tamil youth were forced to take up arms to ensure the protection of Tamil speaking people. It was as a result of the armed struggle by the LTTE under the able guidance of our national leader that the State came down to start the peace talks under the facilitation of the Norwegians.

Three and a half years of cessation of hostilities, brought about in order to find a solution that will meet the just aspirations of the Tamil speaking people is being used by the Sinhala chauvinistic forces to further oppress and weaken them and to fortify their intransigent position.

In this difficult situation, the Tamil resurgence Day is taking place in Trincomalee. With State colonization continuing, all the rights of the Tamils being denied and racial discrimination continuing, Tamil speaking people in their traditional homeland have gathered in numbers to show their feeling against such blatant oppression.

The main objective of this Trincomalee Tamil National Resurgence Day will be to demonstrate to the international community the thirst for freedom of the Tamil nation for over half a century.

It would also urge the international community that they should not yield to the deceit of the Sinhala chauvinist governments and other forces.

Tamil speaking people desire to show their opposition to the action arbitrarily taken against the LTTE by the European Union without indictment, trial or judgement-the essential elements of the Rule of Law, under the Chairmanship of the British who have for years reaped the benefit of the Trincomalee Harbour and Naval Yard by its occupation.

We therefore urge the European Union to be realistic, if they want to change the situation that has been created by the extremist forces on the ground against peace, and consider lifting their stand that LTTE delegations will not be welcomed to their member countries.

Wherefore we demand through this Declaration that the occupying Sinhala Armed Forces do vacate our land and seas with immediate effect.

We proclaim that an environment should be created to enable us to decide our destiny in our land on our own strength and for our people to continue to rise as a formidable force to procure the goal of a sacred and higher life of freedom.

Whilst making the above Declaration, we seek the recognition by the international community of our basic rights and life of freedom with peace on the basis of our traditional homeland, our nationhood and self-rule and struggle for sovereignty.

 

16 October 2005

Consortium of Tamil organizations in Trincomalee began distributing leaflets announcing the Tamil Resurgence Convention scheduled to be held on 22 October Saturday at the Children's Park in front of the Youth Cultural Hall, from 9 a.m. till 12 noon, sources in Trinco said. The leaflet written in Tamil under the heading "One leader, Under one flag, We stand united, Victory assured," was addressed to the Tamil speaking people in Trincomalee, contained the following statements:

"We invite all Tamil speaking people of Trincomalee to participate in large numbers to openly express their feelings to,

1. tell the International Community and the Government of Sri Lanka that we Tamil speaking people unitedly stand behind our National Leader,
2. urge the International Community to recognize Tamils right to self-determination,
3. request the European Union to reconsider its stand against the Liberation Tigers,
4. emphasize to the International community and to the Sri Lanka Government that Tamils and Liberation Tigers are one and the same,
5. urge the International community to condemn the Government of Sri Lanka's oppression, human rights violations against Tamil speaking people and, violations of Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), and
6. express our unreserved support to the Vavuniya declaration of 27 July."
    

"எமது போராட்டம் நீதியானது, நியாயமானது,  தர்மத்தின்பாற்பட்டது" -  ம.தனபாலசிங்கம்
சிட்ணியில் வவுனியா பிரகடனத்திற்கு ஆதரவாக இடம்பெற்ற கூட்டத்தில் ஆற்றிய உரை more

"Federal Members of Australian parliament, Ms Julie Owens, and John Murphy, Chairman of International Commission of Jurists Justice John Dowd and several hundred Tamils from Sydney and adjoining counties participated in an event held at the Ryde Civic Center in Sydney Sunday in support of the Tamil Resurgence events being held by fellow Tamils in the NorthEast. The event was organized by the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA), an umbrella organization of Tamil groups in the region.Representatives of more than thirty member organizations participated in lighting the flame of resurgence at the beginning of the event presided by AFTA chairman Mr Ana Pararajasingham. The key note speaker,  Justice John Dowd, a prominent Australian Human Rights Activist, and Chairman of the International Commission of Jurists drew attention to the need to keep the international community informed of developing political situation in Sri Lanka. Rev John Barr, the National Secretary of the Uniting Church in Australia and Tamil activists and political commentators Mrs. Margaret Pararajasingham, Dr Siven Seevanayagam, and Mr Thanapalasingam also spoke..." more

 

"I had the greatest pleasure of visiting Jaffna on Sept. 30, 2005 to participate in the Pongu Thamil celebrations. I left Kilinochchi at 12.00 noon. When I drove through Pallai I was able to see the decorations on the roads. In Kodikamam all the shops were closed and there were nothing but Red & Yellow flags. The same atmosphere existed in Chavakachchheri, Kaithady and Navatkuli as well. As I neared Jaffna I was able to see cars, motorcycles and bicycles with the same flag. Even in front of houses the same colours decorated the area. I wanted to take a shortcut to Tinnaveli junction by cutting through Kalviyankadu. But I had to stop within 500 metres as there was a traffic jam..." more

Thousands attend Jaffna Pongu Thamil rally -
பொங்கி எழுகின்ற கடல் அலையே... புதிய வழிகாட்டும் கதிர் ஒளியே... 

"...More than two hundred thousand people attended the Tamil Resurgence celebrations in Jaffna Friday at Jaffna University Grounds calling for the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to vacate the Tamil homeland and declaring that the Tamils right to self-determination is non-negotiable. Speakers at the rally said the event recognizes the Vavuniya proclamation and condemned the one-sided punitive measures taken by the European Union against the Liberation Tigers. .." more

 "..அன்பு பொங்கும் யாழ் பொங்குதமிழ் சமூகமே!,  உஙக்ள் பொங்கு தமிழ் எழுச்சி எட்டுத்திக்கும் பரவும் வகை செய்வோம்! இலங்கைத்தீவின் வடக்குக்கிழக்குத் தமிழீழ தாயகம் பொங்குதமிழின் எழுச்சியினால் சிவந்து கிடப்பதை உணர்வுடனும், உரிமையுடனும் போற்றி, இன்றைய யாழ் பொங்குதமிழ் எழுச்சி வெற்றி பெற அனைத்துலக தமிழ் சமூகம சார்பில் வாழத்துகின்றோம்... தமிழர்களின் தாகம் தமிழீழத் தாயகம்... " more

"...All roads in Jaffna district will lead to University Grounds Friday September 30 where the Tamil Resurgence Convention, is to be held. This is sixth in the series of such conferences held in recent months, first Vavuniya, second in Batticaloa, next in Killinochchi, fourth in Mullaitivu and fifth held at Mannar Wednesday. The objective of the convention is to reaffirm the declaration proclaimed at Vavuniya convention appealing to the international community to recognize the self-determination rights of the Tamil speaking people in the northeast province... final Tamil Resurgence Convention to be held in Trincomalee, sources said."

Message from Ryerson Tamil Students Association, Toronto - றயர்சன் பல்கலைக்கழகத் தமிழ் மாணவர் மன்றம் " பொங்கியெழுந்து புதுப்பரணி படைக்க புறப்படுங்கள்.
எதிர்வரும் 30ம் நாள் யாழில் நடைபெறவுள்ள “பொங்குதமிழ் 2005” எனும் எழுச்சி நிகழ்வுக்காக தங்களை தயார்ப்படுத்திக் கொண்டிருக்கும் எம் தமிழீழ மக்களே!... தமிழர் தரப்பு அபிலாசைகளை, உரிமைகளை நியாயங்களை வெளிக்கொண்டு வருவதற்காக ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்ட பொங்குதமிழ் இன்று கடல் கடந்து, கண்டங்கள் கடந்து தமிழ்மக்களால் உணர்வு பூர்வமாக மேற்கொண்டு வருவது யாவரும் அறிந்ததே... more

Message from Academic Society of Tamil Students, Ottawa, Canada " கடல்கள் கடந்து நாம் பரந்திருந்தாலும், உணர்வுகளால் ஒன்றுபட்டிருக்கிறோம்....தமிழ் மக்கள் ஒன்றிணைந்து நம் தமிழீழத்திற்காய் அணிவகுப்போம்.." more

பொங்குதமிழ் வாழ்த்துக்கள் - தமிழ்ப் படைபபாளிகள் கழகம், கனடா "இப் பொங்கு தமிழ் பொன்நாளில் கண்டம் விட்டுக் கண்டம் வாழ்ந்தாலும் தாயக விடுதலைப் பயிருக்கு நாளும் பொழுதும் நீர் வார்ப்போம் எனச் சூளுரைக்கிறோம்!.." more

 யாழ் பொங்குதமிழ் ஏற்பாட்டுக்குழு அறிக்கை - யாழ்பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் வவுனியா பிரகடனத்தை வலியுறுத்தி குடாநாட்டில் மக்கள் எழுச்சிப் போராட்டம்...

"தமிழீழ தனியரசுக் கோரிக்கையை சர்வதேச சமூகம் அங்கிகரிக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை வலியுறுத்தி எதிர்வரும் 30ம் திகதி யாழ்குடாநாட்டில் நடைபெறவுள்ளது “பொங்குதமிழ் 2005” எழுச்சி நிகழ்வு... தமிழ் இனம் தனது தாயகப் பிரதேசத்தில், தனக்கே உரிய மொழி, கலாச்சாரத்துடன், தமிழீழத் தனியரசை சர்வதேசம் அங்கீகரிக்க வேண்டும்....இதற்கு ஈழத்தமிழ் மக்களால் முன்வைக்கப்படும் காரணங்கள்..." more

Several hundred pre-school teachers from Teachers Technical Colleges across Jaffna district assembled near the Thileepan Memorial near Nallur Kandaswamy temple Tuesday morning to inaugurate the action plan for village awakening activity for the forthcoming Tamil Resurgence Celebrations in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Head of National Resurgence Consortium, Mr Solomon Susiril, welcomed the teachers and officially started the event after paying floral tribute to the Thileepan memorial.Secretary for the Jaffna National Resurgence Consortium K Sivagnanasekaram presided the event. Other officials, N Navaratnarajah and V Chandrasekaram also participated in the event.

Thiyaga Theepam Thileepan -  தியாக தீபம் திலீபன் - Sanmugam Sabesan, 20 September 2004  "தியாகி திலீபன்சொன்ன- செய்தி என்ன?  "இந்த இனம் - இந்தத் தமிழினம் அடங்காது! . ...அடக்கு முறைக்கு அது வளைந்து கொடுக்காது!. பேரம் பேசாது - விட்டுக் கொடுக்காது. ஆயுதம் இல்லாவிட்டாலும் - உணவு இல்லாவிட்டாலும் ... அது தொடர்ந்து போராடும். தன்னுடைய விடுதலைக்காக - நியாயத்திற்காக - நீதிக்காக.. ."" more ..

சர்வதேசமே! எங்களை
சாதாரணமாக எடைபோடாதே!
சர்வதேச அரங்கிலே - நாங்களும்
சமபலமாய் நிற்கின்றோம்!
அன்னை தமிழுக்கு - இங்கு
அரசொன்று வேண்டும்! தமிழ்
மண்ணின் ஆட்சிக்கென்று
மகத்தான அரசொன்று
வேண்டும்! வேண்டும்!
எங்களை அங்கீகரிக்க
எங்களை ஆதரிக்க
தனியரசு மலர வேண்டும்!
தன்னாட்சியும் வரவேண்டும்!  more

Tens of thousands attend Ponngu Thamizh in Mullaithivu - தமிழீழமே எங்கள் மூச்சு
முல்லைத்தீவு தேசிய எழுச்சி பிரகடன நிகழ்வின் ஒலித்தொகுப்புக்கள்

Tens of thousands of people from Mullaitivu district, including the tsunami ravaged coastal areas participated in the Tamil Resurgence event held at Malathi Sports Ground, Puthukudiyiruppu, Wednesday evening at 3:30 p.m. The event was organised by the Tamil National Resurgence Task Force in support of the Vavuniya Declaration. Red-Yellow bi-colour flags were seen flying in all parts of Mullaithivu. Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians, academics and religious dignitaries were present at the gathering.

One of the handbills issued at the event addressed to the International Community, urged support for Tamil self rule.

"Extend your moral support achieve self rule with just peace and dignity in our traditional homeland."
"Help us to live in our homeland with Self Rule in peace with the Sinhala South."
"Peace, Reconciliation and Co-existance are norms set and insisted upon by the International Community. We respect these norms. We Tamils too aspire for same."
"The Vavuniya Declaration which includes in it, aspects of Traditional Homeland, Nationhood and Self Rule was made on this basis. This declaration reveals our yearnings."
"Exert your influence and pressure to achieve this without anymore blood-letting."
"Let Colombo know that We have reached a breaking point," the handbill said.

The event was concluded around 8:00 p.m.

 One Hundred Thousand Tamils attend Pongu Thamizh in  Kilinochchi, TamilEelam
கிளிநொச்சி தேசிய எழுச்சி பிரகடன நிகழ்வின் ஒலித்தொகுப்புக்கள்
கிளிநொச்சி தேசிய எழுச்சி பிரகடன நிகழ்வின் படத்தொகுப்பு -  பாகம் 1 - பாகம் 2

Around one hundred thousand people from various parts of the Vanni mainland took part in the Tamil national resurgence event held in Kilinochchi on Thursday. The event was held in support of the July 27 Vavuniya Convention and was organised by the Tamil Resurgence Task Force. The entire township was decorated with felicitation arches and yellow and red bi-colour flags with a festive appearance.

"This event would inform the world that time is ripe for us to decide our own destiny," Mr. M. Sivabalan, president of the Task Force told TamilNet.

The event ceremonially began at 4:00 p.m. in Kilinochchi common playground. The organisers, who had urged the people in the district to expresses their support by participating in the event, branded the day as "a day of great historical importance for Kilinochchi"." An ocean like mammoth gathering of people here will declare to Colombo and to the world community our sentiments and aspirations," the organizers said.

Mr.V.Vigneswaran, President, Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum, Professor C.Mohanathas, Vice Chancellor, Jaffna University, Dr.T.Sathiyamoorthy, Deputy Provincial Director of health Services, Killinochchi, Rev.Fr. Karunairatnam, Director, NESHOR, parliamentarians Messrs Selvam Adaikalanathan, S.Kanagaretnam, S.Sivanesan, S.Jeyananthamoorthy and K.Pathmanathan, Mr.S.Thangan, Deputy Political head of the LTTE and several others spoke in the four hour event urging the International community to recognize and support the Tamil sovereignty and the freedom struggle of the Tamils.

Mr. T. Pirapaharan, President of the Tamil resurgence Movement Task Force in Killinochchi district presided. Ms. Thamilchelvi Shanmuganathan, wife of Maj. Wimal, an LTTE fighter died in the war with the Sri Lankan forces and Mr. Muttusamy Arunachalam, father of Major Kamal who died in the war with the Indian IPKF forces, lit the traditional oil lamp. Mr. Muthuvel Seevaratnam, father of LTTE's Capt. Vannan who died in the war with the Indian forces hoisted the Thamileelam national flag.  Mr.S.Pasupathipillai, Secretary of the Tamil Resurgence Movement in Killinochchi district lit the flame of resurgence, which was followed by ten others. Mr.A.Velamalihithan, Secretary of the Tamil Resurgence Movement, Killinochchi district read out the Declaration. Mr.Pasupathipillai proposed vote of thanks.

The A9 route near Kilinochchi remained closed and an alternative route for traffic was provided by the organisers and the Tamileelam Police.

A Tamil national resurgence conference with more than one thousand Tamil national activists comprising academics, writers, religious dignitaries, representatives of civil organisations and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs from Amparai, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Vanni and Mannar, began in Vavuniya at 10:30 a.m on Wednesday, 27 July 2005 at Vairavapuliyankulam Children's Park. Leaders of the Up-Country Peoples Front (UPF) and the Western Province Peoples' Front (WPPF)  also participated in the conference.

The Vavuniya Proclamation

Mayhem in Southern Sri Lanka today is wrought by Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinism. This has completely shut the door to a democratic settlement to the conflict of the Tamil speaking population.

In this context, we, the Tamil speaking people inhabiting the traditional Tamil homeland, place our desperate and perilous plight before the international community and seek justice and endorsement.

We, the Tamils have inhabited this land as an independent nation before the European occupation. The Tamil and Sinhala nations were amalgamated in 1833 when the British introduced a unitary structure resulting in the loss of our sovereignty. We wish to point out that in 1948 the departing British left Tamil sovereignty in the hands of the Sinhala majority.

Thus after the inappropriate acquisition of sovereignty, parliamentary majority was used to mistreat and oppress our people. Citizenship legislations were enacted to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of plantation Tamils. With the Sinhala only legislation Tamils were deprived of rights to their Language and employment. Prevention of Terrorism and Emergency Acts furthered the complete denial of human rights for Tamils. Through systematic Sinhala colonisation, our traditional habitations were subjected to land grabs devastating our demographic distribution and right to life.

Not only legislations but Sri Lankan Constitution was designed as an instrument of oppression. Section 29 of the Constitution to safeguard the minority rights introduced by the Solbury Commission was removed in 1972 through the Socialist Democratic Republic Constitution without Tamil participation. Through the changed constitution Buddhism was made the official religion paving the way for racial and religious discrimination. The constitution brought in 1978 further reinforced this. Thus, the Constitution that should serve justice became the embodiment of injustice.

Against such racial oppression the Tamil leadership of yester years protested with peaceful non-violent political campaigns. The Sinhala rulers encountered such protests with political agreements later to be abrogated. The 1957 Banda –Chelva agreement and 1965 Dudley – Chelva agreement are cited as evidence. Peaceful protests were reciprocated with violence, rape and genocide.

On the face of such oppression, in the early 1970s the Tamils were forced to take up arms for their self protection and freedom.

Realising the futility of achieving political settlement via non violent pursuits the then Tamil leaderships made the Vaddukkoddai Resolution on 14 May 1976. In the 1977 Sri Lanka parliamentary elections they received the mandate from the Tamil people through the ballot box for secession.

Forced to pursue an armed struggle, we rose under the guidance of a national leader who adores our land and our people and a determined army capable of conventional warfare. As a result, we rose to enunciate the reality that we were a separate nation of people in the Island to the world arena.

During the time of conflict, the just proposals for political settlement made by Tamil parties, at various peace talks were all dismissed. Land seizures and genocidal killings continued unabated. Indiscriminate aerial bombardment and shelling of schools, places of worship and heavily populated civilian areas mercilessly killed children and the elderly alike.

Due to the many military offensives, the Tamil people were displaced and made refugees in their own land. The Sinhala Buddhist chauvinists justified such state terrorism under the façade of a ‘state’. However, our struggle for liberation advanced victoriously against occupying forces. Our people rose in strength as the force behind this struggle for liberation.

In this historic context, administrative structures for the governance are being instituted for the Tamil people.

Sri Lankan government had come to realise the futility of a military victory over our national liberation struggle. At the same time, the international community approached our national leadership seeking an opportunity for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Our leadership came forward to unilaterally declare a ceasefire.

Left with no viable alternatives, and relenting to international pressure, Sri Lankan government consented to a ceasefire agreement with LTTE, the sole representatives of the Tamil people. On 22.2.2002 with the facilitation of the Government of Norway, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasingha and the Tamil National Leader V Prabahakaran signed a Cease fire Agreement.

Following the agreement, six rounds of peace talks were conducted and as an interim measure, proposals were formulated for an interim administration.

However, the talks were stalled because the Sri Lankan government refused to pursue dialogue.

The Tamil expectations for the return to normalcy for the past three years have failed to materialise. Our lush and fertile fields and rich seas have been seized by Sinhala forces and controlled as high security zones depriving us our livelihoods.

Even after Tsunami disaster that shook the world, Sinhala hegemonic attitude has prevailed exemplified by the fate that befell the proposed Tsunami Joint mechanism. The world is now a witness to the hardened hearts seeped in Buddhist Chauvinistic extremism.

Disregarding all this, the Sinhala leaders are entangled in a struggle for power. The government has again resorted to military pacts and expansions with a view to crushing the Tamil struggle for their rights. We hasten to stress that these moves are at hand while the international community is engaged in peace efforts in the island of Sri Lanka.

We have ascertained yet again, that the Sri Lankan rulers will not initiate any just solution for the Tamil speaking people. We believe that the international community too would have realized this fact from the activities during the period of the cease fire agreement.

For such apparent reasons we are forced by Sinhala Buddhist chauvinists to take definitive decisions.

Therefore, we demand through this proclamation that the occupying Sinhala forces must vacate our land and seas with immediate effect.

We proclaim that an environment must be created to enable us to decide our destiny and our people are continuing to rise as a force to procure the goal of a sacred and higher life of freedom.

At the same time while making this proclamation, we seek the recognition by the international community of our basic rights and life of freedom with peace on the basis of our traditional homeland, our nationhood and self rule and struggle for sovereignty.

An event to mark the fourth anniversary of the first Tamil Resurgence Movement (Pongu Tamil) was held on 17 January 2005  morning in the Jaffna University premises amid large crowd. A public meeting was also held in the Kailasapathy Auditorium. Mr.C. Ilamparithi, Jaffna district political head of the LTTE delivered the keynote address. Professor C.Mohanathas, Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University lit the common flame of sacrifice followed by Mr.C.Ilamparithi, Professor Sivachchandran, Lecturer Mr. Arasaretnam and Mr.N.Paramanathan, Chairman of the Jaffna Humanitarian Agencies Consortium.

 "...Today's 12,000 strong massive convergence of Tamils of the island of Sri Lanka in Geneva for their International Pongu Thamil (Tamil Resurgence) from various parts of Europe, from far away places like Rome, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris is to echo the near unanimous voice of millions of Tamils at home expressed in the series of Pongu Thamil held all over Thamil Eelam and in the recently concluded Parliamentary Elections of Sri Lanka. Pongu Thamil is the movement initiated by the Youth of the Jaffna University to raise national unity and consciousness among the Tamils .."

Pongu Thamizh in Ottawa