'Pongu Thamil' event to be held in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2003, 14:31 GMT]
Though the ceasefire has brought a halt to the war, "everyone should understand that the fight to win the Tamil people’s political rights has not stopped," said Mr. Sivashakthi Ananthan, the Vanni parliamentarian, speaking at a meeting held Sunday at the Suthananda Hindu Youth Association hall to plan the ‘Pongu Thamil’ (‘Tamil resurgence’) events.

Students from the Jaffna University’s Vavuniya branch and the Poonthoddam College of Education, the business community, the public and Mr. Gajendran, the representative of the International University Students Federation participated at the meeting.

Attempts are being made to bring peace through talks, although currently the direct talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been temporarily suspended.

In order to rehabilitate and reconstruct the war-devastated North-East, an interim administrative structure outside the present constitution with adequate powers has been demanded. At this time, the Tamil people should express their aspirations and their ideas and expectations of a political solution. The Pongu Tamil events are such an expression of the Tamil people, said Mr. Ananthan.

At the meeting Sunday, the participants unanimously decided that under the theme of “We want our own land,” the Pongu Tamil event will be held on a grand scale in Vavuniya on September 15, and a six-member committee was appointed to plan the event and make it a success, sources said.

Mr. K. Amirthalingam was chosen as the chairman of the committee. Mr. V. Kuhendran was chosen the secretary. Mr. Y. S. Devarajah will be the treasurer. Mr. S. Sivakaran and Mr. Dethson are respectively the deputy chairman and the deputy secretary, sources said.

The participants also decided to explain the event clearly to the Sri Lankan security forces and seek their cooperation to make the event a success, sources said.