The Inaugural Sessions of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

Saturday, May 22, 2010 Press Release
The Inaugural Sessions of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

The first gathering of elected members of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) took place on May 17-19 at the historic National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where the Constitution of the United States of America was adopted in 1787. The delegates came from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Switzerland UK and USA. These delegates were also joined via video conference with their counter parts located at venues in London and Geneva. These delegates came from France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and UK.

The sessions started with a moving tribute to those who were massacred by the armed forces of the Government of Sri Lanka last year. Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law and Advisory Committee member, and Ms. Janani Jannanyagam representing Tamils Against Genocide were the guest speakers in the first session. They highlighted the war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Government and the genocide suffered by the Tamil people. In his address to the Assembly Prof. Boyle said that the Tamils, who are subjected to genocide, have the right to establish an independent state as a remedial measure.

The Secretary General of the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the United States, Mr. Domach Rauch, observed the similarities between the liberation struggles of the two peoples. He noted that the TGTE, being a democratic exercise, was a step in the right direction towards independence.

Mr. Ramsey Clark, a former United States Attorney General, commented that the drafting of the US constitution by the founding fathers took place in Philadelphia and therefore that this was an appropriate place to hold the inaugural event of the TGTE. He further emphasized unity amongst the Tamils.

One elected delegate from each country represented in the Assembly and the Coordinator for the Formation Committee for the TGTE, Mr Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, also delivered speeches in the inaugural sessions.

In the second day sessions, following speeches by the elected members of the TGTE, Ms. Karen Parker, a Human Rights activist and Humanitarian Law attorney as well as an Advisory Committee member, addressed the Assembly on the ways, means and functions of a Constituent Assembly.

The delegates then met to elect an interim chief executive of the TGTE. Mr. V. Rudrakumaran was elected as the first chief executive of the TGTE. Following the election of Mr. Rudrakumarn, the delegates selected seven additional members to the Interim Executive Committee. The members of the committee are Mahinthan Sivasubramanium; Sam Sangarasivam; Gerard Francis; Selva Selvanathan; Vithya Jeyashanker; Sasithar Maheswaran and Janarthanan Pulendran

The elected members of the legislative body then transformed themselves into a Constituent Assembly. The Assembly then formed a Constitutional Affairs Committee to draft the constitution of the TGTE. In addition to the Constitutional Affairs Committee, the Assembly also formed the following committees: the Committee for Education, Heritage, Health and Sports; the Committee for Trade and Commerce; the Committee for International Support (media, lobbying, advocacy); the Committee for Internally Displaced People and Human rights (Refugees); the Committee for the Welfare of the Families of Martyrs and Cadres; the Committee for the Protection of Resources; the Committee for the Release of Prisoners of War; the Committee for Economic Affairs; the Committee for the Investigation of War Crimes; and the Committee for Women and At Risk Groups (children and elderly). The Assembly also decided to appoint an expert panel to provide assistance to the above committees.

The Assembly had named Mr. Pon Balendran as the Speaker for the first Assembly of the TGTE.

Professor Peter Schalk, member of the Advisory Committee, and Mr. Elaventhan, an elected member of the TGTE from Canada, addressed the Assembly during the closing ceremony.

The Assembly also formally invited the remaining members of the Advisory Committee to continue to serve until the constitution was adopted. Before concluding the Assembly recognized and thanked Professor Sriskandarajah for his invaluable help in facilitating the first meeting of the Assembly.

The convening of the First Assembly was seen as culmination of a year-long effort of the Eelam Tamil Diaspora. Delegates also took a Declaration of Commitment in which they pledged, that until the Constitution drafting is completed, they will carry out the TGTE’s functions through the Interim Executive mechanism and that the process of constitution drafting for the TGTE will be in accordance with the Guiding Principles of Advisory Committee report in order to work for an independent and sovereign state of Tamil Eelam.

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