WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to the upcoming “Walk for Peace” initiative scheduled to take place across Sri Lanka from April 21 to April 28, the U.S. Tamil Diaspora issued a strong statement emphasizing that lasting peace cannot be achieved without recognizing Tamil sovereignty.
The event, organized with state support, will feature participation from Buddhist monks who previously conducted a 110-day peace march across 10 U.S. states from Texas to Washington, D.C. While the initiative is being promoted as a symbol of reconciliation, the U.S. Tamil Diaspora warns that such efforts risk ignoring the root political causes of conflict on the island.
“Peace is not a performance — it is the result of justice,” the statement said.
The Tamil homeland in the North-East, with a distinct historical and political identity, was administratively merged under British colonial rule, resulting in the loss of its independent political structures. Post-independence state policies further entrenched a system that denied Tamil sovereignty and political self-determination.
In this context, the U.S. Tamil Diaspora asserts that initiatives like “Walk for Peace”:
- Fail to address the core political issue
- Overlook the historical loss of Tamil sovereignty
- Risk promoting a narrative of reconciliation without justice
“The Tamil people must be allowed to restore their sovereign nation, which was dismantled under colonial consolidation. Only then can meaningful peace discussions begin,” a spokesperson stated.
The Diaspora calls on international actors, civil society groups, and peace movements to:
- Recognize the right to self-determination of the Tamil people
- Address historical injustices rooted in colonial restructuring
- Ensure that peace efforts are grounded in political equality and accountability
Without these steps, so-called peace initiatives risk becoming symbolic gestures that do not resolve the underlying conflict.
Today, Tamil communities continue to struggle for:
- Their land
- Their identity
- Their political rights
Ignoring these realities, the statement concludes, will only delay genuine reconciliation.
“First Tamil sovereignty — then peace.”
U.S. Tamil Diaspora
Email: News@tamildiasporanews.com
Tahnk you,
Tamil Diapora News,
Apil 17,2026