UN Link: Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
US Tamil Diaspora: The Tamil Question Is an Unresolved Decolonization Issue Requiring Global Intervention
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — October 2025
The US Tamil Diaspora is calling upon the United Nations, European Union, and democratic governments to recognize that the Tamil struggle in Sri Lanka is not merely an ethnic conflict but an unresolved decolonization issue demanding urgent international intervention.
Tamil Sovereignty Lost in 1619
The ancient Tamil Kingdom in the North and East of the island lost its sovereignty in 1619 when Portuguese forces invaded and executed the Tamil king.
This began centuries of colonial domination—first by Portugal, then the Dutch and British.
When Britain left the island in 1948, instead of restoring Tamil sovereignty, it merged two separate nations — Tamil and Sinhala — into a single unitary state.
That act converted Tamils into an internal colony, stripped of equal rights and political autonomy.
“The British transfer of power in 1948 did not end colonialism for Tamils,” said a spokesperson for US Tamil Diaspora. “It simply changed the ruler from Europe to Colombo.”
UN Decolonization Act (Resolution 1514) Supports Tamil Claim
In 1960, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 1514 (XV), the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
It declared that “All peoples have the right to self-determination” and that colonial rule in all forms must end.
The situation of the Tamil people—ruled militarily and politically by another ethnic majority—fits directly under this UN principle.
Tamils continue to live under occupation, with their lands seized, culture suppressed, and thousands still missing from the war years.
UN Resolution Confirms Ongoing Violations
The 2025 UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka recognizes that human rights abuses persist, especially in Tamil areas.
However, Tamil advocates say this is only part of the problem — the root cause is the unfinished decolonization of the Tamil homeland.
US Tamil Diaspora Calls for Global Action
The US Tamil Diaspora urges world governments and the United Nations to:
- Recognize the Tamil national question as an unresolved decolonization issue under UN Resolution 1514.
- Support a UN-led referendum on Tamil self-determination.
- Pursue international accountability for genocide and war crimes.
- Enforce demilitarization and land return in the North and East.
- Facilitate the restoration of Tamil sovereignty lost since 1619.
A Continuing Struggle for Freedom
Tamils around the world continue to fight peacefully for justice, dignity, and national recognition.
“This is not a minority rights issue,” the spokesperson added. “It is a case of an occupied nation seeking freedom — the same principle that liberated dozens of countries under the UN Decolonization Declaration.”
About US Tamil Diaspora
US Tamil Diaspora is an independent global advocacy network representing the Tamil community in the United States.
The organization campaigns for accountability, justice, and the restoration of Tamil sovereignty, working with international institutions and human rights groups to ensure freedom and dignity for the Tamil people.
Thank you,
Tamil Diaspora News.
October 6, 2025