Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America

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The Federation of Tamil Sangams in North America (FeTNA, established 1987) is an umbrella organization of many (but not all) local North American Tamil diaspora organizations.[1] In April 2006, it stated that it represented 42 local organizations, with a combined constituency of about 20,000 Tamil families, mostly Indian American (from Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lankan American.[2] However most of the 42 organizations do not acknowledge any relationship with FeTNA on their web-sites.

Contents

[edit] Activities

[edit] Convention

FeTNA organizes an annual North American Tamil convention. Established in 1988, the conventions are held during the 4th of July weekend, in a different city every year.[1] Conventions can attract over two thousand attendees from all over North America.[3][4]

Invited guests typically include Tamil writers, actors, musicians, and politicians from a variety of political parties in India and Sri Lanka.[3][4][5][6]

The annual conventions were held jointly with the Indian-American Tamil Nadu Foundation until 2002; the two groups have held separate conventions starting in 2003.[7][8]

[edit] Support for Tamil studies

FeTNA sponsors visits from two Tamil scholars to the United States each year; as of 2006, it had sponsored a total of 24 scholars.[1][9] It has also been involved in the sponsorship of a Tamil Chair at the University of California, Berkeley[10] and the Tamil Studies program at the University of Toronto.[11]

[edit] Fundraising for disaster relief work

FeTNA plays an active role in fundraising for disaster relief work in response to crises like the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2004 Kumbakonam school fire.[12] In June 2005, the group reported that it had raised $37,965.79 for tsunami relief (disbursed through the Tamil Relief Organization, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Exnora International)[13] and $16,020.43 for victims of the Kumbakonam school fire (disbursed through the Kumbakonam Lions Club).[14]


[edit] Organization

The Federation was founded in 1987 by five American Tamil sangams: Ilankai Tamil Sangam, Tamil Association of Delaware Valley, Tamil Sangam of Washington & Baltimore, New York Tamil Sangam and Harrisburg Tamil Sangam.[1]

As of July 2006, FeTNA's website links to the websites of the following member organizations. (As of August 2006, the websites of most of the groups do not link back to the FeTNA website, or acknowledge any association with FETNA.)

Austin Tamil Sangam, Bay Area Tamil Sangam, Bharathi Kalai Mandram, Boston Tamil Association, California Tamil Sangam, Chicago Tamil Sangam, Columbus Tamil Sangam, Connecticut Tamil Sangam, Greater Atlanta Tamil Sangam, Harrisburg Tamil Sangam, Ilankai Tamil Sangam, Metroplex Tamil Sangam, Michigan Tamil Sangam, Minnesota Tamil Association, Missouri Tamil Sangam, National Tamil Youth Organization, New England Tamilsangam, New York Tamil Sangam, New Jersey Tamil Sangam, Seattle Tamil Sangam, South Florida Tamilsangam, Tamil Sangam of Carolina, Tamil Association Colorado, Tamil Association of Greater Delaware Valley, Tamil Sangam of Greater Washington, Tampa Tamil Association, and the Tennessee Tamil Sangam.[15]

According to the FeTNA website, the cost of membership varies based on the size of constituent sangams. Each sangam appoints delegates to the governing board, with votes proportional to membership.[1] Beside the governing board, the group has a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications Director.[1][16]

[edit] Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka

[edit] Public stances

The Federation publicly sides with the cause of ethnic Sri Lankan Tamils in the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has issued a number of statements calling for an end to Sri Lankan government violence against Tamils, the ability of Tamils to engage in meaningful negotiations with the government, and a peaceful political resolution to the conflict.

  • 1995: Passed a resolution at annual convention, asking the US government not to sell arms to Sri Lanka, and calling for the US to pressure the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to find a political resolution to the civil war [17]
  • 2005: Held the Sri Lankan government accountable for the death of Sri Lankan Tamil journalist Dharmaratnam Sivaram.[18]
  • 2005: Strongly condemned the murder of Joseph Pararajasingham, a Sri Lankan Tamil Member of Parliament[19]
  • 2006: Called for an end to extra-judicial killings by Sri Lankan government forces and paramilitaries.[20]
  • 2006: Supported a call for Sri Lanka-LTTE peace meetings, urged world leaders to pressure all parties to stop attacks on civilians, called for Sri Lankan military to withdraw from civilian homes and buildings, and called for sanctions to be initiated unless the Sri Lankan government disarmed paramilitaries [21]
  • 2006: Participated at a protest at the United Nations, condemning Sri Lankan state violence against Tamil civilians, asking for an investigation by the International Criminal Court, and calling for good faith negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and Sri Lankan Tamils [22]


[edit] Other political stances

[edit] California Hindu textbook controversy

FeTNA was actively involved in the Californian Hindu textbook controversy, in which it joined a number of other groups in successfully petitioning California's Curriculum Commission to reject allegedly revisionist edits to California's textbook curriculum on Hinduism and India, as suggested by the Hindu Education Foundation and the Vedic Foundation. FeTNA raised several specific objections about the proposed textbook revisions, which they felt sidelined the role of South Indian and Dravidian culture (history, language, and religious traditions), and allegedly "whitewashed" caste and gender discrimination in India.[16] (See main article Californian Hindu textbook controversy for details.)


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. FeTNA: About Us. Retrieved on August 6, 2006.
  2. ^ "FeTNA's 19th annual convention from July 1", The Hindu, 2006-04-13. Retrieved on August 6, 2006.
  3. ^ a b "2,000 attend Tamil meet in U.S.", SiliconIndia, 2003-07-10. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  4. ^ a b "Business and cultural forums mark achievements of community", South Asian Insider, 2006-07-14. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  5. ^ "Gajendrakumar on U.S. visit", TamilNet, 2004-07-05. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  6. ^ "The grand Tamil reunion", Rediff, 2002-07-06. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  7. ^ "Letter from the President", Kolangal (National Tamil Youth Association newsletter), 2002-2003. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  8. ^ "TNF vs. FeTNA & Where NTYO Fits In", Kolangal (National Tamil Youth Association newsletter), 2004. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  9. ^ "Glimpses of rich past at FeTNA's Manhattan date", The Indian Express (North American Edition), 2006-08-04. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  10. ^ UC Berkeley Center for South Asia Studies. Tamil Chair Background. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  11. ^ University of Toronto Tamil Studies Coordinating Committee. TamilStudies.org: Contribute. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  12. ^ "South Asian Americans Confront Tsunami with Faith and Fundraisers", India-West, 2004-12-31. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  13. ^ Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. FeTNA Tsunami Relief fund update 20060105 (Word). Retrieved on September 5, 2006.
  14. ^ Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. Update (6-01-05) - Kumbakonam Fire Relief Fund (MS Word). Retrieved on September 5, 2006.
  15. ^ Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. Welcome to FeTNA.org. Retrieved on August 6, 2006.
  16. ^ a b Thillai Kumaran (FeTNA) (2006-02-19). FeTNA letter to the California State Board of Education (PDF). Retrieved on August 6, 2006.
  17. ^ "The FeTNA Resolution", Tamil Voice (Newsletter of the Ilankai Tamil Sangam), Fall 1995. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  18. ^ "Govt. of Sri Lanka is accountable for journalist's murder- US Tamils", TamilNet, 2005-05-02. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  19. ^ "US Tamils call for sanctions against SL Government", TamilNet, 2005-12-27. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  20. ^ "US Tamils call for stop to extra-judicial killings", TamilNet, 2006-05-29. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  21. ^ "Tamil Americans urge Co-chairs to promote "equal partnership for peace"", TamilNet, 2006-01-04. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
  22. ^ "US Tamils urge UN action against Sri Lanka", TamilNet, 2006-07-01. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.

[edit] External links

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