The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) on Saturday welcomed the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority rights, issued this week following her visit to the island. 
"Ms Izsak-Ndiaye’s recommendation that the most pressing and emotive issues for minority communities – disappeared persons, return of occupied land, release of security-related detainees, as well as demilitarisation - must be addressed urgently, and her call that the views and aspirations of the minority communities must be taken into proper consideration in the constitutional reform process, resonate fully well with the Tamil community," the GTF said. 
"Special Rapporteur’s warning regarding stalled progress and the urgent need for concrete action to sustain the momentum for change, reflect the prevalent view among several key observers on Sri Lanka. In fact, lack of urgency towards demilitarisation-normalisation in the North and East, insufficient effort to include all communities into the reconciliation processes, and mixed messages emanating from the top political leadership on accountability and good governance, are all contributing towards re-emergence of cynicism and pessimism among the Tamil people, a trend that ought to be addressed without delay."
The GTF appealed to the Sri Lankan government to "embark upon focussed and targeted initiatives towards accountability, political resolution and reconciliation, so that the unique opportunity exists today to convert Sri Lanka into a modern, democratic, plural and prosperous country will not be squandered", pledging to "pro-actively contribute to consolidate and accelerate the progressive transition presently underway."