3000 Tamils rally in Bern, Switzerland, braving rain

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 18:08 GMT]
The European Union (EU) move to ban Liberation Tigers, despite the continued killings of Tamil activists and civilians, is unjust, said Julia Jean Marie, a French professor, addressing the Tamil rally held in front of the Swiss Parliament in Bern. "Tamil struggle has overcome many hurdles. The NorthEast has matured into a state, and with its able leadership will succeed in overcoming all obstacles standing in their way to achieve their goal of right to self-rule," said Professor Julia Jean Marie, in fluent Tamil, in Bern where more than 3000 Tamils gathered from 13:45 p.m till 15:35 p.m., Monday.



An appeal was handed over to Mr. Jean Philippe Jeannerat, General Secretary, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, by Kasilingam Ramakrishnan, President of Tamil Forum in Switzerland, Mr. John Sivapragaam, Spokesman of Tamil Forum and Mr. S. V. Kirupaharan of France based Tamil Centre for Human Rights.

Rev. Fr. Gerold Beck lit the common flame.

Messages from Green Party parliamentarians Mr. Géraldine Savary and Mr. Roger Nordmann were read to the audience.

Ms. Morgenthaler, a Green Party parliamentarian and a long time supporter of the Tamil struggle and sister of Brigitte Morgenthaler Subramaniam, who passed away in 2004, encouraged the gathering to continue the just cause of supporting Tamils in their homeland.

Ms. Franzica Teuseher and Mr. Christops Schmitter, another Green Patry parliamentarian, also addressed the rally.

Mr. Malan, representing the Tamil Forum delivered the inauguration speech and read the appeal in Tamil to the audience.

The Tamil Forum, is an umbrella organisation of 26 Tamil organisations in Switzerland. A Tamil Youth Organistion (TYO) representative read the appeal issued by the Tamil Forum.

Francis Albert, a senior Tamil activist in Switzerland, also addressed the Switzerland rally.