The following article is based on a statement that appeared on .
Over April17-18, the Tamil community living in Australia will take part in a referendum on self-determination for Tamil Eelam.
Eleven voting centres will be set up in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.Tamils in other parts of Australia will vote by post. The referendum is being carried out by an independent electoral body.
Tamils will vote on the following resolution: "I aspire for the formation of the independent and sovereign state of Tamil Eelam in the north and east territory of the island of Sri Lanka on the basis that the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka make a distinct nation, have a traditional homeland and have the right to self-determination."
The Tamil diaspora in Norway, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Britain have already held referendums, with the overwhelming majority in all countries voting "yes".
The resolution is similar to the Vaddukkoddai Resolution (VKR) of 1976.
This was adopted at an All Tamil Political Party convention held in Vaddukkoddai to consider their future directions and available options to win equal rights for the islands' Tamils.
The VKR said: "We are hereby committed to the restoration of the free, sovereign, secular state of Tamil Eelam based on the right of the self-determination inherent in every nation. This has become inevitable to safeguard the very existence of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka."
This resolution resulted from the Tamil political leaders realising that a political solution within one country — Sri Lanka, where the Sinhalese are a permanent majority — would not be possible while most Sinhalese political parties were united against treating Tamils as equals.
Since the defeat of the Tamils' armed resistance in May 2009, the Sri Lankan government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is in the process of implementing racist policies against the Tamils with more vigour and determination.
The Tamil diaspora decided to test the resolve of Tamils on the VKR and to present the results to the concerned international community. It aims to persuade the Sri Lankan government to negotiate in good faith with legitimate Tamil representatives to find a lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict that has continued since independence in 1948.
The Tamil diaspora exists because of the Sri Lankan constitution of 1972, which deprived Tamils of their nationhood. Further, the VKR also clearly states the Tamils of Eelam origin, living in any part of the world, have a say in the nationhood of Eelam Tamils.
Since May 2009, there has been no functioning leadership in Eelam for Tamils. Tamil leaders are being eliminated and others are being intimidated and bought off by the Rajapaksa government.
The duty to protect Tamils in Eelam is the responsibility of the Tamil diaspora because they are is the only Tamil people with the time, resources and political space to exercise their political will.
The referendum will provide a chance to test the will of the Tamil people in a democratic way.