French Embassy clarifies Thamilselvan statue issue

A media release from the French Embassy in Colombo states that the statue or bust of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s former political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan was within the District of Seine-Saint Denis.

The French Government does not have the authority to intervene in the domains devolved to the local institutions and cannot oppose the activities of elected local representatives, as long as these are in accordance with the law, adds the media release.

The full text of the media release:

Service de Presse & d’Information,

89, Rosmead Place, Colombo 7 (Sri Lanka).

 

 

Following the initiative of the Franco-Tamil association of La Courneuve, a bust of Suppayya Paramu Tamilselvan, sculpted by a local artist was unveiled on the 1st of November 2010 in front of the Art gallery “Le Sens de l’Art” in La Courneuve, within the district of Seine-Saint Denis. Some elected members of the Municipal Council of La Courneuve participated to the event.

Any person, group or organization on the French territory has to respect French law.

The Constitution of France establishes a decentralized state, in which the Government does not have the authority to intervene in the domains devolved to the local institutions and cannot oppose the activities of elected local representatives, as long as these are in accordance with the law. Moreover, the Constitution of France protects the freedom of expression and the Rights of Association.

The organization of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), of which Suppayya Paramu Tamilselvan was a cadre, is a movement which has been listed since 2006 as a terrorist organization by the European Union and is forbidden by all European Union Member States including France. France, as well as its European partners, condemns with the utmost strength the use of violence and terrorism.

 

Embassy of France,

Press & Information Section, 

89, Rosmead Place, Colombo 7.