Salute to Madiba - 'Power is Ours' Rededicate Ourselves to the Long Walk to Freedom: TGTE

(LONDON) - Mandela was labeled as a “terrorist” and sentenced to prison for twenty-seven years. Even though Mandela was elected President of South Africa in 1994 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, his name was not removed from the “Terrorist Watch List” by the US Government until 2008.

Mandela’s life demonstrated to the rest of us that through fierce commitment to the cause, sacrifice, and determination, eventually we too shall prevail. Mandela has been a symbol of the liberation struggle and its sentiments. He stands as testimony to the triumph of peoples' struggles.

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam's (TGTE) Representative Ms. Kantha Padiachi attended the event to pay respects to the great leader and handed over a letter by TGTE's Prime Minister Mr. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran to Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Here is the text of the letter:

“

While the Inaugural Session of the 2nd Parliament of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam was being convened in New Jersey, USA, we received news of the passing of the great icon, Nelson Mandela, the embodiment of the aspirations of people yearning for freedom. He was not only a liberator of South Africa, but a liberator of humanity from the shackles of hate, oppression and racial prejudice.

The TGTE salutes and conveys its respect to a transcendental man who thrust human rights into the vernacular of the International Community. The TGTE also identifies with the mourning international community.

Nelson Mandela has been a symbol of the liberation struggle and its sentiments. He stands as testimony to the triumph of peoples' struggles. He was a strong and resolute figure who fought against racism and discrimination, the evils of human nature that persist even until this day.

The man was labeled as a “terrorist” and sentenced to prison for twenty-seven years, but he succeeded in pushing the struggle of the South African people to the International Community. Through his uncompromising style, he awoke the conscience of the world to the inequalities occurring in South Africa.

Even though Nelson Mandela was elected as the first black President of South Africa in 1994 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and considered as a world leader, his name was not removed from the “TerroristWatch List” by the US Government until 2008. Why was there such a long delay? This demonstrates to us that the walk for change, walk for justice and walk for freedom is a long one.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up by President Nelson Mandela in South Africa under the chairmanship of Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a mechanism to achieve a peaceful transition towards a race neutral democracy. However, as US President Obama mentioned in eulogy, “reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past”, we firmly believe that TRC should not serve as an escape mechanism for accountability.

With this in mind, the TGTE passed a resolution in its Parliament on Sunday 8th December, stating that ‘in view of the primacy of accountability under International Law espoused by the International Criminal Court, calling for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Sri Lanka should come after the birth of an independent and sovereign State of Tamil Eelam’.

However insurmountable the obstacles had been for him, Nelson Mandela’s life demonstrated to the rest of us that through fierce commitment to the cause, sacrifice, and determination, eventually we too shall prevail.

We, the people of Tamil Eelam, hold our hands in solidarity with all who yearn for freedom around the world. Let us rededicate ourselves to the long walk to freedom. in the footsteps of Madiba.

Long live his memory!

The thirst of Tamils is Tamil Eelam!!

Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran

Prime Minister – TGTE

”

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a new political concept, formed after the mass killing of Tamils in the final months of the war in 2009.

It is a new political formation based on the principles of nationhood, homeland and self-determination. The raison d’etre for the TGTE is lack of political space inside the island of Sri Lanka for the Tamils to articulate and realize their political aspirations fully due to Constitutional impediments, racist political environment and military strangulation; and the coordination of diaspora political activities based on democratic principles and the rule of law.

The Constitution of the TGTE mandates that it should realize its political objective only through peaceful and democratic means.

TGTE held internationally supervised elections in 12 countries. These elections were held to ensure that core believe of democracy be upheld within the TGTE and to demonstrate TGTE's belief and reliance upon democratic ideals. TGTE has a bicameral legislature and a Cabinet. Although an elected body, TGTE does not claim to be a government in exile.

TGTE held its second elections in October 2013. Tamils around the world unitedly elected all the Members of Parliament without contest. With this election, TGTE begins its 2nd Parliamentary term.

The TGTE promulgated a Freedom Charter on May 18, 2013 incorporating “Freedom Demands” of the Tamils across the globe. Presently, in addition to the campaign for an international investigation, the TGTE is also campaigning for an International Protection Mechanism and the release of documents pertaining to Tamils prepared by the Office of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide.

TGTE believes that the referendum among the Tamils inside the island of Sri Lanka and the Tamil diaspora will contribute to the political resolution of the Tamil national conflict.

So far, the human cost has reached 100,000 as it grows. There are also 90,000 Tamil war widows. The Tamil women, especially female bread winners are subject to sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan security forces.