Finland - பின்லாந்து
- an estimated 250 Tamils live in Finland -

The representatives of the Tamil organisations in Finland, who met the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, after marching 2 km from the Helsinki EU office to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Merikasarminkatu Monday noon, told media that Norway which skillfully executed the facilitator role during the challenging internal opposition from the Sinhala extreme nationalist parties, was now being alienated by the external factors arising from the EU's move to ban the LTTE. More than 170 Tamils took part in Finland where a 250 Tamils live.

More than 70 percent of the Tamils in Finland marched from EU office to Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Helsinki

Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs official from Asia and Oceania desk, Matti Junnila and Project Assistant, Sami Karhonen, a former Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) official who had served in Vavuniya, received the Tamil delegation comprising Kandiah Gnanadevan, Manchula Mohandas, S. Jebanesan and three other Tamil representatives.

[L-R] Matti Junnila, Unit for Asia and Oceania, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sami Karhonen, Project Assistant and former SLMM monitor, Vavuniya, and Kandiah Gnanadevan heading the Tamil delegation

The former SLMM official, who has been on the ground, understood the danger prevailing in Tamil homeland and the involvement of the Sri Lanka military in the extra-judicial killings taking place in the Tamil homeland, said Mr.Gnanadevan.

The Foreign Ministry official, Matti Junnila, explained that Finland would be supporting the Norwegian efforts.

The Tamil delegation explained that the EU move to curb the Tamil support to the political leadership of Tamils in Tamil homeland, would be detrimental to the already tenuous peace process, said Mr. Gnanadevan.

Tamils March in Finland - Finland promises humanitarian assistance
[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 October 2004 ]

Director General of Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Americas and Asia section, Ms Paivi Luostarinen, told the Liberation Tigers delegation that Finland will continue its humanitarian assistance to NorthEast, and extend its support to the peace process including the activities of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, during a meeting Friday held at the Finnish Ministry building, LTTE sources in Finland said.

The LTTE delegation, led by Head of LTTE Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, is currently on a tour of European countries to solicit international support for the Interim Self-Governing Authority proposals and to explain LTTE's stand on the Peace Process to the Foreign Ministry officials.

Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Johanna Suurpaa, Counsellor, Unit for Humanitarian Assistance, Leo Olasvirta and Director Asia and Oceania, Pekka Metso, also participated in the meeting.

Thamilchelvan briefed the Finnish Ministry officials on the current political situation and the peace process. He further told the officials the urgent need for humanitarian assistance, pointing out that the Tamil people, even after two and a half years from signing of the CeaseFire Agreement have not seen improvment in their living conditions.

Thamilchelvan applauds Finland's contribution to SLMM
[TamilNet, October 14, 2004 19:47 GMT]

"Tamil people are greatful to the Government of Finland for its significant contibution to the efficient functioning of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)," said S.P. Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE political wing in a meeting with Mr. Jaakko Laajava, under- secretary of state for political affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland, Thursday held at the Foreign Ministry Building. Thamilchelvan updated Mr. Laajava with the current status of the peace process and the general political situation, LTTE sources said from Finland.

The Under-Secretary assured Thamilchelvan Finland government's full co-operation to the peace process and humanitarion delivery to the war-affected people, and called upon Goverment of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to recommence the peace talks at the earliest.

Earlier Thursday the LTTE delegation met with Ms. Paula Moisander, secretary for International Affairs, Parliament of Finland and discussed matters related to upgrading humanitarian assistance in the war-affected areas of NorthEast.

Ms. Katja Ahlfors, Attache Asia and Oceania Ministry for Foreign Affairs, co-ordinated the meetings.