Call to withdraw army from Tamil areas in Lanka

The TESO conference on Sunday found fault with the Sri Lankan government on a whole gamut of issues. In fact, almost all resolutions adopted at the conference levelled serious allegations against the Lankan government.

The conference pleaded with the UN and the international community to pressure Lanka to withdraw its army from Tamil areas forthwith. One of the resolutions adopted at the meet said the UN should constitute an international committee to directly supervise withdrawal of the army.

In this connection, the resolution pointed out that the annual statement for 2011 released by the External Affairs Ministry of the UK says that about 90,000 Tamil women were widowed, as a consequence of the war. Their future has become bleak and the army is subjecting them to further torture and abuse, it said.

Another resolution urged the UN to formulate measures to ensure that the Tamils don’t live in their own homeland as refugees. Charging that the Sinhalese have been forcibly settled in Tamil areas, another resolution said they should be sent back and Tamils again be declared the rightful owners of the national resources, trade and commerce. Besides, the UN should urge Lanka to immediately take steps to restore normalcy in the life of the Tamils.

Yet another resolution said a referendum should be conducted with the Lankan Tamils through the UN. It should be packaged as a South Asian human rights issue, the resolution said, adding that it was the duty of the Lankan government to ensure protection of Tamil culture and language. Yet, Colombo has been taking all efforts to destroy Tamils culture and language.

The conference urged the UN to appoint an international committee on behalf of the human rights council of the UN to go into the Eelam War IV crimes and punish the guilty. One resolution said India has the duty, right and responsibility to undertake measures for ensuring peace and equality in the neighbouring Sri Lanka. India should take all steps to ensure a total change of environment in Lanka and a life of equality and peace to the Sri Lankan Tamils.

“A question has naturally arisen in the hearts of Tamils on why the Indian government has been silent on the undemocratic developments in Lanka,” a resolution said.