"Tamil Eelam" removed from list of countries

The Sri Lankan government had got Denmark and Australia to remove ‘Tamil Eelam’ from the list of states mentioned in some of their websites, Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera informed Parliament yesterday.

“The Danish Government had apologised for referring to ‘Tamil Eelam’ in its websites as a legitimate state, and had removed it,” he said, in response to an oral question raised by MP Udaya Gammanpila last afternoon.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had listed ‘Tamil Elam’, in its website, among the countries which could be named as the country of birth in the Australian census of 2016. This was removed the day after the Sri Lankan High Commission in that country made representations against it,” he added.

The minister said there was no government in existence called ‘Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam' but only a group of self styled people who call themselves the transnational government.

“This group of people are clinging to a dream just like the joint opposition which set up a shadow cabinet,” he said.

“Oh here comes the shadow Prime Minister!” he exclaimed, as he saw former president Mahinda Rajapaksa entering the chamber. “No, no I am not," Mr Rajapaksa was heard to say in response.

Mr Gammanpilla then asked how Rudarakumaran could refer to himself the prime minister of the transnational government.

“ Why can’t Rudrakumaran cling to a dream if the joint opposition can do so?” Mr. Samaraweera asked. (Yohan Perera)