The ground battle for a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka is over but the political battle is just heating up. A new Global Tamil Forum, composed of Tamil groups from around the world, aims to influence international opinion and highlight the Tamils’ case for their own homeland.

It is the first time that the one-million-strong Tamil Diaspora has come together.  It hopes that by speaking with a united voice it will have more political clout on the world stage.  Top of its priorities is the release of 300,000 Tamils interned in camps after the Sri Lankan government’s recent offensive.  It also wants the perpetrators of crimes against humanity brought to justice.
 

Self-determination
The Forum says it will work with the Tamils in Eelam and other communities in Sri Lanka to restore the right of Tamils to self-determination. 

Father SJ Emmanuel is one of the founders of the Global Tamil Forum.  He says:

“The battle has been lost but the struggle goes on because on the ground the Sri Lankan government has proclaimed a victory – a military victory over the Tigers.  The struggle is based on the fact that we are a Tamil nation.  We have a homeland and we have a right to self-determination.”
 

'Reward for bad behaviour'
In another development, campaigners from Human Rights Watch (HRW) described a 2.5 billion dollar loan by the International Monetary Fund to Sri Lanka as “a reward for bad behaviour.”  Asia Director of HRW, Brad Adams, says:

“The IMF needs to change its approach.  The IMF board of governors should make the release of each new tranche of funds contingent on tangible human rights progress.”

The loan was delayed after the United States, Britain and other countries said the Sri Lankan government was not doing enough to avoid civilian casualties at the height of fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels.

Listen to a Newsline interview with Father S.J. Emmanuel of the Global Tamil Forum: