Global Tamil Forum (GTF) is an influential Tamil diaspora organisation - established in 2009 following the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. GTF is committed to a non-violent agenda and seeks a lasting peace in Sri Lanka based on justice, reconciliation and a negotiated political settlement.
Our founding vision was to promote justice, peace and a permanent political settlement to the Tamil national question through non-violent, democratic means, dialogue and negotiation.
Our mission is shaped by the needs and priorities of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka:
- To be an independent, international advocacy organization, which adheres to the principles of democracy and non-violence, and that will work in solidarity with Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka and other communities in Sri Lanka.
- To facilitate international engagement for the Tamil political representatives from Sri Lanka to enhance the prospect of ensuring a just and lasting political settlement.
- To be an independent, international advocacy organization which adheres to the principles of democracy and non-violence that will work in solidarity with Tamil speaking people and other communities in Sri Lanka
- Engagement with Governments around the world, international communities, govt and non-govt organisations and diplomatic channels to achieve the objectives
- Recognise North-East (North & East) as the traditional homeland of Tamil speaking people
- To bring to justice those who perpetrated war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of international human rights and humanitarian law against Tamil people
- To campaign tirelessly, locally and internationally, to remove the occupying armed forces of Sri Lanka from the traditional homeland of Tamil speaking people
- To prevent and end the Sinhalisation and Buddhisisation of the traditional homeland of the Tamil speaking people by the activities of the State.
GTF’s conceptual launch was in July 2009 and was followed by a convention in Paris in August 2009, which discussed and agreed upon GTF’s vision, mission and key objectives.
The inaugural Conference took place in the British Parliament, on 24th February 2010. An array of parliamentarians, including the then British Foreign Secretary of State and Shadow Foreign Secretary, Rt. Hon David Miliband MP and Rt. Hon William Hague MP, joined other international delegates and civil society leaders in a momentous show of support for the Tamil people. Members from the delegation were also invited to meet with the then British Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Gordon Brown MP.
Rt. Hon Joan Ryan is the former Policy Advisor to GTF.
She served as a British Member of Parliament for the constituency of Enfield North, from 1997-2010. During that time she was appointed as a Government Minister, the UK Special Envoy to Cyprus and as a Privy Councillor.
Rev. Dr S.J. Emmanuel was ordained as a Catholic priest in Rome in 1966.
He was a victim and witness to the armed conflict and war in Sri Lanka. He has worked tirelessly for the Tamil people and for a just and peaceful Sri Lanka.
During his tenure he was instrumental in engaging with Government of Sri Lanka and other governments where Tamil diaspora has a significant presence.
Dr Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam is a former Sri Lankan athlete who represented Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) at the 1952 (Helsinki) and 1956 (Melbourne) Summer Olympic Games.
Dr. Ethirveerasingam also participated in three Asian Games: 1954 (Manila), 1958 (Tokyo), and 1962 (Djakarta). He won the Gold Medal at the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games, which was the first Gold Medal of any kind for Sri Lanka (Ceylon).