Solidarity with the Tamils! Public meeting

Self determination for the Tamil people!

Public meeting organised by British Tamil Forum, International Tamil Association of Journalists and Socialist Resistance,

Wednesday 7th March, 7:30pm
Indian YMCA, Fitzroy Square, W1 (Warren Street tube)

Speakers:
Ron Ridenour, author of Tamil Nation in Sri Lanka,
Thanaraja Vasekan British Tamils Forum,
Dr David Rampton, Senior Fellow in development studies, SOAS,
Gopi Gopiratnam, International Tamil Journalists Association  
Chair: Fred Leplat (Socialist Resistance)

Ron Ridenour, author of the new book Tamil Nation in Sri Lanka, says:

“As an internationalist I had to study this horrendous matter of Sri Lanka and the Tamils, about which I knew nothing. I have not been to Sri Lanka and this is an acknowledged handicap. It took some time and was painful learning. 100,000 deaths caused by the years of fighting, and 300,000 Tamils interned in concentration camps under atrocious conditions. Having failed with non-violence to convince the Sinhalese majority to treat them equally, even decently, Tamils were forced to pick up arms. At first, the Tigers hailed Che. In time, they dropped internationalist principles and engaged in internecine warfare. Still, the Tamil people have every right and need to exist in peace and equality, and this is possible only if they have their own nation state. That, at least, is what I could conclude from my research.

Watching from afar how the Rajapaksa regime was repressing Tamils, and hypocritically purporting to be socialists and allies of Cuba and other ALBA leaders, I am compelled to add my voice against this injustice as well as to criticize those brother nations for not acting fraternally in this matter.”

Come along to this unique meeting which will look at how we can build solidarity with the Tamil people.