Conventional ‘government-modelled’ power politics shouldn’t be allowed to hijack the ideals of the experiment of transnational struggle by Eezham Tamils for their liberation, says the younger generation in the diaspora that on Saturday announced certain moves to set bearings for the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE). Consisting of members elected as well as contested to the TGTE and led by the younger generation, the TGTE-Democrats said that they would not obstruct the activities of the current executive of the TGTE, even though they didn’t agree with the one-person leadership constitution, but would work for evolving a proper constitution for the next election. To carry out the program, elected TGTE-Democrats decided to mandate 9 among them to function for two years as a committee and the committee to annually appoint 3 executives.
Executives of TGTE-Democrats: Krishanthi Sakthithasan (France), Sasithar Maheswaran (UK) and Vidya Jeyasankar (Germany)
The move initiated by the younger generation of the diaspora to course-correct the TGTE is of wide significance to the dialectical process of the transnational polity of Eezham Tamils, political observers said.
The TGTE-Democrats, having the same mandate bestowed on every representative of the TGTE assembly, will function with the same authority of the assembly members, the press release of the TGTE-Democrats said.
All those who contested for the TGTE elections and agree with the ideals of the TGTE-Democrats can become members of the movement, and a policy format in this regard will be announced soon, the press release further said.
Krishanthi Sakthithasan in France, Sasithar Maheswaran in UK and Vidya Jeyasankar in Germany have become the first executive members of the TGTE-Democrats.
Krishanthi Sakthithasan polled the highest number of votes in any single constituency in France in the TGTE elections, but her election to the TGTE assembly is yet to be announced. The other two of the executive are members of the TGTE.
Jeyavani Achchuthan (UK), Karthigesan Paramasivam (UK), Mariyampillai Angelo (Canada), Thiru S. Thiruchelvam (Canada), Murali Sivanandan (Norway), Sivaguru Balachandran (France), Cheran Sri Balan (Australia), Renuka Logeswaran (Germany) and Mayilvahanam Baskaranarayanan (Italy) are elected members of the TGTE who have been mandated by the other TGTE-Democrats to function as the committee.
All official announcements of the TGTE-Democrats will hereafter be duly signed by the 3-member executive, all mud-slinging from all sides should stop, Mr. V. Rudrakumaran has the responsibility to see that people of position in the TGTE don’t come out with complicating statements, the press release of the TGTE -Democrats said.
The TGTE should go in the right direction, the TGTE-Democrats will continue to participate the TGTE assembly and will work for evolving a proper constitution on the basis of which the next elections should take place and it was essentially to evolve a constitution people have elected the members of the first assembly, the press release further said.
* * *
The following are further summary of the press release of the TGTE-Democrats:
Some who got into the hands of the Sri Lanka government, their friends and those who believed in them hijacked the TGTE formation from the inception.
They were exposed when they functioned against the move that re-mandated independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam.
Much demonstration is behind the sovereignty tag that is included in the TGTE today.
Meanwhile, an un-named formation committee coordinated the hijack, but when cautions were raised Mr. V. Rudrakumaran said that he alone was the formation committee.
The formation committee worked for sectarian outfits in several countries. There were discrepancies in the elections. Popular candidates polled high votes were made to withdraw. Results were not announced for many electorates. The slots for nominated candidates were not filled. Yet, an assembly was convened. Some proxy votes of those who couldn’t go were accepted but some were rejected. How could such an assembly decide a constitution? No decision was ever taken with two third majority required for a constitution.
The formation committee and advisory committee rejected the idea of presenting a constitution before the election. If there was any such constitution then there could be a demand that all those who were elected under it should pledge for it or they lose the membership. But the election was for making a constitution. How could one section say that others lose membership if they don’t accept an irregularly processed constitution?
A constitution has to be discussed and decided in the assembly and not by manoeurvring members individually.
Handing over the entire powers of the transnational movement of Eezham Tamils to the hands of one individual, elected with a simple majority, and residing within the jurisdiction of another country, is against every spirit of transnationalism.
If the transnational government is such a one-sided affair, shouldn’t there be an opposition in the assembly?
The TGTE-Democrats were tolerating all irregularities for the sake of evolving the transnational polity of Eezham Tamils and not to disturb the process.
We are not against any individual, but we can’t pledge the powers of a nation into the hands of any individual.
The transnational polity of Eezham Tamils need a structure that could go beyond the clutches of any single power and at the same time being able to negotiate with every one.
pdf:Report by TGTE Democrats (Tamil)
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow TNN on Facebook and Twitter )