Australian Tamil Congress Launches Blueprint at Australian Parliament House
Sri Lanka is at the cross-roads in its violent, turbulent and complex history. Decades of war, ethnic tension, human rights violations, oppression and erosion of the Tamil identity have resulted in a deeply fractured and dysfunctional country.
The end of a brutal and bloody civil conflict in May 2009, estimated to have claimed over 100,000 lives, has not brought the much desired peace. Instead, it has placed the lives of Tamils in a state of suspended existence. Many have no home or village to return to or are forbidden to return, and their livelihoods have been destroyed with little or no educational or employment prospects. According to the latest UNHCR estimates, over 500,000 Tamils remain “internally displaced”.
The opportunity for constructive action to reconcile a deeply divided population, revitalise democracy and rebuild the country’s damaged infrastructure seems very limited. The rhetoric and actions of the recently re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa indicates both he and his government have thus far paid little attention to addressing the very sensitive and complex issues of Sri Lanka’s peace, reconciliation and reconstruction.
The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) has developed a blueprint to initiate dialogue and debate on Sri Lanka’s future. It is our aim to galvanise support from Sri Lankan Tamils, the Tamil Diaspora, representatives from the Australian Government, NGOs and the International Community to accomplish the short, medium and long term goals contained in this document.
Advocating for the release of almost 100,000 Tamils still detained in military run camps and working towards meeting the immediate welfare needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North and East of Sri Lanka will be the primary short term goal for the ATC.
Additionally, the Australian Tamil Congress will campaign to ensure the International Community holds the Government of Sri Lanka to account, by conducting independent investigations through the offices of the United Nations or any other relevant authoritiesinto the war crimes and breaches of international humanitarian law committed during the final phase of the war.
The Australian Tamil Congress will also vigorously campaign to ensure that the International Community facilitates constructive dialogue aimed at achieving a durable political solution in Sri Lanka which enshrines democratic, legal, political and social rights for all Sri Lankans equally, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. This blueprint contains two parts – Part One: The Australian Tamil Congress’ Position Statement, which outlines short, medium and long term goals for peace, reconciliation and reconstruction in post-war Sri Lanka, and Part Two: The Tamil Struggle for Equality - a brief historical analysis of the conflict in Sri Lanka with an accompanying chronological timeline.
The end of a brutal and bloody civil conflict in May 2009, estimated to have claimed over 100,000 lives, has not brought the much desired peace. Instead, it has placed the lives of Tamils in a state of suspended existence. Many have no home or village to return to or are forbidden to return, and their livelihoods have been destroyed with little or no educational or employment prospects. According to the latest UNHCR estimates, over 500,000 Tamils remain “internally displaced”.
The opportunity for constructive action to reconcile a deeply divided population, revitalise democracy and rebuild the country’s damaged infrastructure seems very limited. The rhetoric and actions of the recently re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa indicates both he and his government have thus far paid little attention to addressing the very sensitive and complex issues of Sri Lanka’s peace, reconciliation and reconstruction.
The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) has developed a blueprint to initiate dialogue and debate on Sri Lanka’s future. It is our aim to galvanise support from Sri Lankan Tamils, the Tamil Diaspora, representatives from the Australian Government, NGOs and the International Community to accomplish the short, medium and long term goals contained in this document.
Advocating for the release of almost 100,000 Tamils still detained in military run camps and working towards meeting the immediate welfare needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North and East of Sri Lanka will be the primary short term goal for the ATC.
Additionally, the Australian Tamil Congress will campaign to ensure the International Community holds the Government of Sri Lanka to account, by conducting independent investigations through the offices of the United Nations or any other relevant authoritiesinto the war crimes and breaches of international humanitarian law committed during the final phase of the war.
The Australian Tamil Congress will also vigorously campaign to ensure that the International Community facilitates constructive dialogue aimed at achieving a durable political solution in Sri Lanka which enshrines democratic, legal, political and social rights for all Sri Lankans equally, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. This blueprint contains two parts – Part One: The Australian Tamil Congress’ Position Statement, which outlines short, medium and long term goals for peace, reconciliation and reconstruction in post-war Sri Lanka, and Part Two: The Tamil Struggle for Equality - a brief historical analysis of the conflict in Sri Lanka with an accompanying chronological timeline.
source:ATC
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