Dravidians for Peace and Justice DPJ
South African Chapter
P.O.Box 1219 ,
 Lenasia , 1820 ,
Rep.of South Africa
Fax Att.: Writers Tel.. (011) 855 – 1310
Fax (011) 854 - 2504

Cel: 082 467 1339

The Prime Minister of Britain The Honourable Tony Blair

Dear Mr. Prime Minister
We peace loving South Africans, humbly appeal to your government to seriously consider the bona fides of the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam and not to classify them as a terrorist grouping. By our own example, with our newly found freedom and democracy, had it not been for the African National Council , this freedom would not have dawned on the multitude of South Africans so liberated , from the wretched apartheid regime of our dark , but not unforgotten past.

Your very government under the then leadership of Mrs. M. Thatcher , had not viewed the ANC as a liberation movement, but more negatively instead. We thus humbly ask that your government review its pending decision on the LTTE in terms of the example of the ANC during the time when the Nationalist government of South Africa made overtures to international governments of repute like yourself requesting that it be banned.

You are undoubtedly aware of the current attempts at a negotiated settlement being brokered by the Norwegians , to which the LTTE have agreed , but the Singhalese government remains recalcitrant.

A negative decision by your government will only heighten this obstinate attitude of the Sri Lankan government to attaining a peaceful settlement .

Currently, gross human rights violations abound on the Island . It is further recorded this very government stands singled out as the country with the highest recorded of missing persons for 1997 in the world. (E/CN.4/1998/43).

We further request that you join hands with other countries willing to pursue a negotiated settlement for all the peoples of Sri Lanka. One sure way of obtaining the co-operation of the warring sections to seek a negotiated settlement will be the joint cessation of armaments supply and other monetary assistance by international powers to them.

Your due consideration to our humble request will indeed be appreciated.

Yours faithfully,

Dr.P.Lingham.

Chairman

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