Former LTTE negotiator shoots down ?Himalayan Declaration?

Former LTTE negotiator Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran rejected the ?Himalayan Declaration? which was presented to President Ranil Wickremesinghe by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and a group of monks recently.

The self-proclaimed prime minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) said that the “Nation of Eelam Tamils” cannot compromise on fundamental positions.

He says the ?Common Principles? formulated by the major Tamil diaspora entities on September 23, 2021, premised on the Thimpu principles and that should form the basis for a political solution.

“The Himalayan Declaration staged with sponsorship from international states is not going to move anything even a wee bit,” Rudrakumaran said in a statement.

He also said that Indian political parties must be urged to take a stand in favor of the Tamil community and include them in their election manifestos.

Given the failure of international institutions including the United Nations to stop the crimes committed against the people of Gaza, Rudrakumaran said that the call of the hour is the establishment of new institutions and the creation on new norms for international peace and justice.

He said the TGTE would join hands with other stateless nations, international civil society, intellectuals, social media and private sectors in this regard.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe had a rare discussion with the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), a diaspora organization which was earlier banned in Sri Lanka by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

GTF spokesman Suren Surendiran and a group of monks met the President and presented the Joint Himalayan Declaration.

The Joint Himalayan Declaration, a collaborative effort between the Global Tamil Forum and the Buddhist delegation, advocates for a pluralistic Sri Lanka that actively promotes the well-being of all its communities. Emphasizing the importance of learning from the nation?s historical missteps, the declaration underscores the necessity for implementing measures that ensure accountability. (Colombo Gazette)