GTF chief accepts invitation to visit Lanka
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
President of the proscribed Global Tamil Forum Fr. S.J. Emmauel says he has accepted the invitation by the Sri Lanka president and the foreign minister to come to Sri Lanka to assist in the process of reconciliation.
He has told Switzerland’s ‘Zeit-Fragen’ newspaper in an interview, “Some young people immediately said: You have to go. But it will take time to see how the country is developing now. In order to contribute to reconciliation I will continue to speak and to write.”
As a religious person – when I travel to Sri Lanka – I want to encourage all Christians towards reconciliation. I am convinced that the whole affair is a big challenge for both sides. For example, the victims, the affected people, who are complaining that their family members have still not returned home, although the war came to an end 6 years ago, and that the territory continues to remain under military control.”
“Sinhala politicians have the task to calm the mood in the country and to change the attitude towards the Tamils. During 60, 70 years one or the other political party has pursued their policies at the expense of the Tamils,” he said.
Fifteen Tamil organizations, including the LTTE and GTF are banned by the Sri Lankan government.