Diaspora want Chennai as venue of CHOGM

Sunday, 31 March 2013 

Even as the demand for Delhi to get the CHOGM meet shifted out of Colombo is gathering strength here, the Global Tamil Forum GTF) in London has expressed the hope that the pressure from Tamil Nadu would move the Indian government to initiate measures

to isolate ‘intransigent’ Colombo in all international democratic institutions.

GTF spokesman Suren Surendiran said Tamils worldwide were grateful to chief minister J Jayalalithaa for taking a “strong position” as reflected in her letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on CHOGM. It would be best for the Tamil interests if she now came out with a statement offering Chennai as the venue for this November meet of the heads of Commonwealth nations.

“By doing so, Madam Jayalalithaa would be providing real leadership on this issue. Whilst appreciating that CHOGM is about 54 countries and not just Sri Lanka, the world Tamils want to ensure a successful meet in Chennai and not in Sri Lanka. This will be logistically, practically and morally feasible and acceptable to all concerned”, Mr Surendiran said in an interview from London.

He said India should lead by example as the regional power by imposing travel sanctions on the current regime and the military leadership until the question of accountability for what happened during the end of the armed conflict is fully addressed.

“Sri Lanka is simply does not deserve the honour (to host CHOGM) as it has broken the very values that the Commonwealth

stands for. We have seen enough evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed and there are plenty more proof to come. There is enough evidence of human rights abuses there even now”, the GTF spokesman said.

He said it is not true that CHOGM should be held only in a national capital.The 2010 meet was at Perth and not the Australian capital of Canberra. And President Mahinda Rajapaksa was planning to hold CHOGM in his hometown Hambantotta and not in

Colombo. “Chennai is a million times more acceptable than any Sri Lankan venue. We are sure that no peace-loving Indian, not just the protesting Tamil, would want to see his Prime Minister attending CHOGM in Sri Lanka”, he said.

CHOGM hosted in Chennai would strengthen the cry for justice for the Tamils of Sri Lanka whereas allowing it to take place in Sri Lanka could “whitewash the terrible crimes against humanity done by the government” there, Mr. Surendiran said, addingthat the Tamil Diaspora in the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Malaysia and elsewhere “will impress upon our vernments

to seriously consider the change of venue from Hambantotta to Chennai should Madam Jayalalithaa make such offer”’

Courtesy – International

DC CORRESPONDENT