Diaspora Tamils to hold protests worldwide

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 11:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka Tamil diaspora organisations in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in Scandinavian countries, are to hold rallies voicing protest Monday, 29th May, against the expected proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the European Union next week, organizers of the protests said. Protesters will conduct peaceful demonstrations in front of the Parliaments in their respective countries, said leaflets calling expatriate Sri Lanka Tamils to join the protests.

The protesting organizations will place the following demands to the Western Governments according to the leaflets :

• Recognise Tamil Nation, Tamil Homeland and Tamils' right to self-determination,
• Lift prohibition of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
• Remove restrictions of High Security Zones (HSZ) in NorthEast allowing displaced Tamils to resettle in their homes,
• Remove ban on fishing along coasts of NorthEast,
• Provide opportunities for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Members of the Sri Lanka Parliament in world forums to expose the current violations of human rights in Sri Lanka against the Tamils to the international community.

Rallies will take place on Monday 29th May 2006, at the following places said the leaflets.

• Australia - 10.00 a.m in front of Australian Parliament in Canberra.
• Toronto, Canada - 6.00 p.m at the Mellasmam Sqare, 5100 Yonge st. Toronto.
• Ottawa, Canada - 09.00 a.m in front of Canada Parliament.
• Italy - 09.00 a.m Beginning from Piazza Politeama reaching the Interior Ministry in Cavour.
• France - 15.00 in front of Ministre des Affaires etranger, 37 Quai d'Orsay, 75007 Paris.
• Sweden - 14.00 Starting from 1k Sergels Torg, Stockholm.
• New Zealand, Auckland - 8.00 a.m to 6.00 p.m - a sit in fast at Ayodya Square, Auckland City Centre.
• New Zealand, Wellington, 30.05.2006 Tuesday in front of New Zealand Parliament.
• Switzerland - 13.00 in front of Parliament in Bern.
• Netherlands - 11.00 a.m in front of Parliament in Den Hauge.
• Denmark - 12.00 noon in the København Raadhusplads.
• Germany - 11.00 a.m beginning from Dusseldorf HBF.
• Norway - 14.00, 7 juni-plassen, Victoria Terrasse.

A poster containing a translation of a Tamil poem, being circulated by the organsors follows: