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TGTE in a fix as Brent Town Hall cancels Tamil Eelam Confab

Following pressure from Lankans in UK

December 1, 2012, 7:35 pm

By Sujeeva Nivunhella


in London


The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) suffered a big blow after the Brent Town Hall in Wembley in London withdrew permission to hold the controversial outfit’s fourth ‘parliamentary sitting’ scheduled for November 29. The Hall was booked for four days from November 29 to December 2.


After Channa Lokuliyana, a Sri Lankan employee of the Brent Council, found out about the scheduled TGTE meeting, the Brent Council was bombarded with protest emails and phone calls from the peace-loving Sri Lankan community in the UK and from diverse Sri Lankan organizations. This campaign was led by the British - Sri Lankan Forum.Due to heavy pressure from these Sri Lankans, the Brent Council decided to cancel the event. Those who protested by sending e mails received a response from Miss Meenal Shah, Hall & Venues Manager, confirming the cancellation of the event.


The unexpected development saw desperate TGTE members running around looking for venues. They booked both Southall Community Centre and Rayners Lane Community Centre but due to the protest from Sri Lankans, they too cancelled the event.


Pro-LTTE television GTV had to keep changing the venue details of this meeting as all the government centres refused to allow TGTE to hold the session at their premises.


However, TGTE later managed to hire a private place in Northolt, Middlesex. The first session of the TGTE ‘parliamentary sitting’ was chaired by Global Tamil Forum President Rev. Father Emmanuel.


Other than the Tamil speakers, Swedish professor of History of Religions, Peter Schalk, International Human Rights Lawyer, Karen Parker and former Member of the European Parliament Robert Evens, also spoke.