We are a group of Sri Lankan
Tamil professionals who met under the auspices of the Tamil Information
Centre in London on 19 May 2000 to discuss the developments in the Tamil
homeland in Sri Lanka and wish to register our appreciation for the goodwill
and commitment that India has expressed by offering to mediate between the
LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka to bring about a negotiated political
solution.
We note with interest the
statement of the Norwegian chief negotiator Eric Solheim on 11 May 2000
following discussions with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh that no
solution to the ethnic conflict is possible without India�s �positive role�,
thus re-inforcing our view that the pursuit of any action or intervention by
anyone in the conflict in Sri Lanka cannot ignore the geopolitical context
in which the island remains. Further, we are conscious about the constraints
placed on the parameters of domestic decision-making.
Our primary concern, in this
memorandum is to highlight what we see as
India�s role in the Sri Lankan National Question. We are aware of the
calls once again for Indian military intervention, by the government of Sri
Lanka and of India�s outright and welcome rejection of this request, but for
�humanitarian assistance� and the offer of mediation only �if asked by both
sides�.
We see
this stand by the government of India as a recognition of the suffering and
pain that
the Tamil people have
experienced under the successive Sinhala governments and against all
odds, of managing our own struggle for survival and in the defence of our
lives,
our land
and territory, and our own socio-economic, cultural and political
well-being as Tamil people. We also view the stand of the Government of
India as the
recognition of the LTTE
as the main symbol and spokesman of Tamil grievances and perception,
carrying the moral support of Tamils the world over.
With the recent events in the north following the capture of Elephant Pass
military base and the LTTE�s determination to take control of Jaffna,
the world has, hopefully, come to realise that the Tamil people�s resistance
in their
struggle for self determination and political independence is real and
it is now more feasible that Sri Lanka is persuaded to
review its
military efforts and pursue a negotiated political settlement. It
provides more reason, for India, the key outside power, to play a more
positive and responsible role in persuading the government of Sri Lanka to
end the violence that has caused untold suffering to the Tamils, creating
the required
political will amongst the Sinhala leaders
and begin to talk about the status of the Tamil people. India is also well
placed to provide post conflict re-construction and assist the LTTE to
re-build well functioning civil society in the Tamil homeland.
| Name |
Profession |
Residence in UK |
| Dr M S Isweran,
MBBS,DPM,MRCPsych |
Consultant Psychiatrist
|
22 yrs. |
| Dr
Mahen Mahendran,
MB FRCS |
Family Physician |
15 yrs |
| Dr N Sivananthan,
MBBS, MRCOG
|
Family Physician
|
17 yrs |
| Dr N Sreeharan, MD,
PHD, FRCP |
Physician |
15 yrs. |
| Dr S Ratneswaran,
MRCP(UK),MRGCP |
Family Physician |
17 yrs. |
| Dr V Sivapathasuntharam,
MBBS, MRCOG |
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
|
22 yrs |
| Ivan Pedurupillai,B.Sc.,
M.Sc.,FCCA, FCMA
|
Chartered
Management Accountant |
32
yrs. |
| R Ganeshalingam,
M.Sc(Constr.Eng).,MICE |
Chartered Engineer,Managing Director,
COMSOL Group of Companies |
37 yrs |
| R Pathmanaba Iyer,
B.Sc. |
Publisher |
10 yrs |
| Ram Subramaniam, M.Sc |
Systems Engineer |
8 yrs. |
| S Balasingam, ACA
|
Chartered Accountant
|
10 yrs |
| S Balayogan,B.Sc.,
PCG |
Teacher |
12 yrs |
| S Kanagasundaram,
C.Eng:M.I.C.E.
|
Chartered Civil Engineer |
37 yrs. |
| S Mahalingasivam
|
Journalist |
12 yrs. |
| S Sivagnanam
|
(Rtd.) BT Sales Manager
|
35 yrs. |
| Siva Muthulingasamy,
B.Sc. |
Managing Director ECL Medicals
|
31 yrs. |
| A Sothinathan,Assoc.Dip.
in Mngt. |
Journalist |
1 yr. |
| V R Ramanathan,
F.Inst.S.M.M, M.L.I.A(Dip) |
Independent Financial Adviser |
25 yrs. |
| V Varadakumar, B.Sc.
|
Statistician |
19 yrs
|
Copies to:
Hon. Mr Jaswant Singh, Minister of External Affairs
Hon. Mr George Fernandes, Minister of Defence
Hon. Mr L K. Advani, Minister of Home Affairs
Hon Dr. M Karunanidhi, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
