Leading Tamil diaspora groups snubbed by Prez

Although President Ranil Wickremesinghe initiated dialogues with the Sri Lankan diaspora community yesterday (20) as part of his visit to the UK, the two main Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora organisations based in UK, namely, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and the British Tamil Forum (BTF), were not invited to these talks. 

Speaking to The Morning, BTF General Secretary V. Ravikumar noted yesterday that his organisation was not invited to the meeting with President Wickremesinghe, but emphasised that the BTF nevertheless has no intention of meeting any Government representative until a political solution is achieved. 

“This happens every time Wickremesinghe comes to power. We have turned it down, and we don’t intend to meet anyone representing the Government of Sri Lanka unless there is a meaningful political solution,” he said.

He added: “We request the international community to develop mechanisms to find a political solution through an international arbitration process led by the US, India, and a core group of countries comprising the European Union (EU) and Canada to find a long-term political settlement.” 

Ravikumar noted that international arbitrators should guarantee the implementation of subsequent agreements to ensure the non-recurrence of civil strife and cycles of violence, to attain equitable and sustainable peace, and also to establish and maintain the geopolitical stability of the region.

Meanwhile, GTF Spokesman Suren Surendiran confirmed to The Morning that his organisation did not receive an invitation to the talks in the UK either. 

“We did not receive any invitation, but even if there was one, there is little point in meeting him until he delivers a solution to the Tamil people and builds our confidence,” he said. 

President Wickremesinghe met the Sri Lankan diaspora community in the UK yesterday, where he invited them to invest in Sri Lanka. 

While addressing the meeting, President Wickremesinghe said: “The question of land in the North is the question that began as the issue of missing persons and the reparation due to them. This must be gotten out of the way. Look at some of the basic issues of devolution. What is heartening is that seven Chief Ministers outside the North and the East and the Leader of the Opposition gave a set of proposals in 2018 when we were revising the Constitution. Members and Chief Ministers from the North and the East agreed with it, so we can go ahead with it.”

Business professionals from both the Sinhala and Tamil communities were present at this meeting, as per the President’s Media Division.