Time for solidarity with Tamil people

By Chris Spindler SYDNEY — "A call to suppress Tamil political and cultural organisations in Australia is totally unacceptable", said the Democratic Socialist candidate for Lowe, Max Lane, on February 11. Lane was commenting on the call by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner for the Australian government to close down these organisations for allegedly sending money to Tamil "terrorist" organisations. "If there is any funding for terrorist organisations that should be stopped, it is the Sri Lankan government's funding of the totally unjustified war against the Tamil people", said Lane. "Over 350,000 Tamil people have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the Sri Lankan army's onslaught. The Australian government should lodge a strong protest against this, and call on the Sri Lankan government to pursue a path of negotiation rather than war." A public meeting "For self-determination and democracy in Asia" with the secretary of the Australian Federation of Tamil Associations, Ana Parajasingham; Harold Moucho from Fretilin; Moses Havini from the Bougainville Interim Government; John Otto-Ondawarme from the West Papua Movement; and Max Lane from the Democratic Socialists will be held on Sunday, February 18, at 6pm at the Homebush Public School, corner of The Crescent and Rochester Streets, Homebush. For more information, phone 690 1977.

From GLW issue 219