CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF TAMILS IN FRANCE Mrs. Nisanthi Peiris Thank you, Mr. President, Challenges for inclusion and equality: obstacles to the Tamils’ social and economic participation in the North East of Sri Lanka remains a challenge because the Tamil people live under Sinhalese occupation in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the second country in the world with the highest number of enforced disappearances; tens of thousands of Tamils have fallen victim to this phenomenon in the country for many decades. This matter was a chance for the Sri-Lankan authorities to deliver justice for these crimes against international law by making sure that the suspects, including those who assisted with and encouraged these acts, and those who were based in command stations, would be brought to justice. Many past and recent events demonstrate the above-mentioned points and highlight the true will and position of the Sri-Lankan authorities regarding the enforced disappearances. Whether it is the treatment of the disappearances of the members of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and their families who surrendered to the Sri-Lankan army after the war, the intimidation measures taken against Tamil lawyers and judges, or the repression of the protests by the mothers of the disappeared, Sri Lanka constantly tries to push aside the problem with the enforced disappearances without solving it. We ask that the international community: Organises a special session on the enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. Provides technical aid to the representatives and associations of the enforced disappearances in the 8 Tamil districts in the North and East of Sri Lanka Acknowledges the resolution on the genocide adopted unanimously by the Northern Sri Lanka Provincial Council on 10 February 2015. Direct the appropriate measures to the International Criminal Court. Appoint a special reporter for Sri Lanka to monitor and investigate on the human right violations and the ongoing repression against the Tamil nation. Since the Tamoul people are entitled to self-determination, they should have the opportunity to decide on their political agenda.