✦. Real Political Purpose of the Conference
Although presented as a political workshop organized by a Swiss independent institution, the fundamental purpose of the conference is clear:
● To examine whether Switzerland’s federal system can be applied to Sri Lanka.
● To refocus Tamil demands under the label of a “United Federal State” and attempt to transform them into a “peaceful solution” acceptable to the international community.
● To bypass the Tamil demand for international justice for genocide, instead seeking to suppress the issue through constitutional reform.
✦. Tamil Side vs Sinhala Parties – Clash of Positions
●Tamil Side (Gajendrakumar, Youth Organizations):
○ History demands only self-determination.
○ The 13th Amendment or the proposed “United Federal State” is not a solution for Tamils.
○ A Two-State Solution is the only appropriate resolution.
● Sinhala Side (JVP/National People’s Power):
○ Claimed legitimacy based on votes received in the North-East, asserting that they could provide solutions on behalf of Tamils.
○ Promised that the new political framework would accommodate all communities, but it remained a unitary state-based “United Federal State” at its core.
○ Diverted attention from international justice for war crimes by referencing JVP-era atrocities.
✦. Continuity of the Liberation Struggle
● Gajendrakumar and Tamil youth highlighted the Eelam Tamil liberation struggle as central to the discussion.
● They reaffirmed that even after 2009, the Tamil demand has not changed – self-determination remains the historical and political entitlement of Tamils.
● The Sinhala parties’ proposed “new constitution” is merely an old tactic to dilute and undermine Tamil demands.
✦. Position of the International Community
● Swiss diplomats listened to Tamil grievances but hesitated to issue an official report.
● The complete avoidance of international justice for genocide indicates that global powers intend to suppress Tamil self-determination.
● Their preferred outcome: a compromise under a “United Federal + federal system”, temporarily managing the conflict without resolving the core issues.
✦. Future Political Implications
● Tamils must consistently assert the need for self-determination and a two-state solution.
● On international platforms, war crimes investigations and justice for genocide must not be sidelined.
● Accepting the Sinhala parties’ “United Federal State” scheme risks historically erasing Tamil demands.
Written by: Eelaththu Nilavan
Researcher in History and Political Analysis
21/09/2025
