A resolution demanding on the Sri Lankan government to stop the ongoing war and to withdraw its armed forces from Tamil Eelam, was one of four resolutions passed at a mass rally of Eelam Tamils held at Alexandra Palace, U.K. on 25th April 1999.

The rally and conference organised by the Federation of Tamil Associations, U.K. had as its theme : TAMIL EELAM TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE..

In a media release, the organisers said

"The Conference was attended by about five thousand Tamil people representing a broad spectrum of the Tamil Nation living in the United Kingdom. The Conference was addressed by leading members of the Tamil Nation and representatives of many Tamil organisations... The Tamil people demonstrated their solidarity behind the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Security concerns

The Conference deliberated on the issues affecting the Tamil Nation in the island of Sri Lanka. The gross and systematic violation of their Human Rights, especially of the right to live, were uppermost in their deliberation. In view of the widespread disappearances of Tamils and the existence of mass graves, the security concerns of the Tamils were also addressed.

The Conference addressed the humanitarian tragedy of the refugees, specifically the suffering of children in the North & Eastern region of the island of Sri Lanka in a way establishes that there is deliberate genocide of the Tamil Nation.

Tamil homeland

The Tamil People living in the United Kingdom, being the victims and witness of the persecution by the Sinhala political and military establishment, having gathered and deliberated at the Alexandra Palace, London on the 25th April 1999 resolved to call upon Her Majesty the Queen and the Government of Great Britain, the International Community, and the Government of Sri Lanka to:

1. To accept and recognise the Tamil Peoples Right To Self Determination.

To accept and recognise the North - Eastern Province in the island of Sri Lanka as the Traditional Homeland of the Tamil Nation.

3 To accept and recognise theLiberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam as the legitimate representative of The Tamil People.

4 Stop the ongoing war and withdraw the Sri Lankan Armed Forces from Tamil Eelam forth with.

The conference concluded that these are essential requirements for a durable political settlement of the Tamil national conflict in the island of Sri Lanka.

London conference 'backs Tamil independence' [TamilNet, Monday, 26 April 1999]

 An estimated five thousand Tamil people living in Britain attended a rally and conference titled 'Tamil Eelam Towards Independence,' at Alexander Palace, London on April 25, 1999, said the organisers, the Federation of Tamil Associations (UK). However, widespread speculation about a 'unilateral declaration of independence' at the event proved unfounded.

'The conference deliberated on the issues affecting the Tamil Nation in the island of Sri Lanka,' said the organisers in a press release.

'The Tamil people demonstrated their solidarity behind the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,' said the Federation of Tamil Associations.

Robert Evans, MEP of Britain's ruling Labour Party gave the opening address to the conference. He said he "brought greetings from the European Parliament" and expressed his "support for the Tamil people" and said the situation Sri Lanka had been "forgotten" by the world....

Speakers at the conference included Adrian Wijemmane, an academic who spoke on independence struggles and how, in his view, the situation in Sri Lanka could be seen in a similar light.

Representatives of about twenty Tamil community organisations also spoke in support of Tamil independence and the LTTE.

British Parliamentarian (Labour Party), Neil Gerrard, gave a speech supporting "self determination for the Tamils" and condemned the Sri Lankan government for it's human rights record and for not seeking a negotiated solution.

Vasantha Raja, former Rupavahini chairman, also addressed the conference, drawing parallels between the humanitarian situation in Kosovo and that in Sri Lanka.

Ms. Arjin Amedi, a representative of the Kurdish Freedom for Ocalan Campaign drew parallels with human rights situations 'faced by the Kurdish people in Turkey and the Tamil people in Sri Lanka'.

A speaker Committee for the Unification of the Revolutionary Left told the conference that Sri Lankan left wing parties such as the NLF and JVP 'are opposed to the war'...

at the Press Conference: (From left to right) Mr.Arjuna Sittampalam, Mr.James Karan, Dr.Satchi, Mr.Kumar Ponnambalam and Mr.Adrian Wijemanne

At no time during the 16-year Lankan war against the Tamils, was a Unilateral Declaration of Independence was even remotely contemplated by the Tamil leadership, but yet the scare has always remained. The man who first raised the scare was Krishna Vaikunthavasan of the UN rostrum fame, who in November 1981 created a storm in a tea cup by declaring: "we do hereby decide to make all necessary arrangements for Thamil Eelam Independence Declaration on Pongal Day 1982". This being a sub-conscious fear in the Sinhala mind at all 'times, the government began warlike preparations with such seriousness that both the TULF leadership and Tamil youth groups had to shootdown Mr. V's inspiration promptly to allay the excitement in Colombo.

This time, on the eve of the London conference, what began as an April 1 joke, made the ever excitable section of the Colombo Press attach so much seriousness to it that the silly scribes began to believe it themselves. Once they found that it was a stupid thing to have believed it, they turned their anger on the conference organisers for NOT announcing a a UDI!

Asked at the Press Conference at Alexandra Palace, Chairman Dr.Satchi said it was not for anyone in London to declare UDI. It was a matter for the Tamil national leadership back home.