GTF ready for direct talks on Tamil issues
Sunday, May 31, 2015
The Global Tamil Forum (GTF), an influential diaspora group based in London, says it is ready for direct talks with anyone to resolve Tamil issues.
The GTF was responding to a question posed by The Sunday Leader when asked if it willing to have direct talks with the Government on the Tamil issue.
GTF spokesman Suren Surendiran said that the GTF has so far not been invited for any talks in Sri Lanka by the Government.
“No no invitations were received for direct talks, remember GTF is still a proscribed organisation in Sri Lanka,” he added.
The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, Nomaindiya Mfeketo had a series of meetings with representatives of International Tamil Diaspora organisations from Sri Lanka, including the GTF, in London this week.
Surendiran said that the South Africans were keen to share their own experiences in finding resolutions to the accountability/serving justice question and political issues.
“They didn’t suggest that South Africa could be a mediator between the Government of Sri Lanka and the diaspora. GTF is willing to talk to anyone to resolve the national question. GTF obviously works very closely with the elected members of the Tamil community, the TNA,” Surendiran said.
The South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation meanwhile said that Deputy Minister Mfeketo’s engagement with the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora organisations follows her earlier visit to Sri Lanka, where she led an advance and technical team of experts to the country in February 2015.
Colombo Gazette