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View photos SPEECH BY PRESIDENT MBEKI TO THE TAMIL PEOPLE IN DURBAN » continued from page 1 We talk about National unity, about National reconciliation. These are important challenges that are part of the making of a new South Africa, that are part of the process of ensuring that indeed we have a successful and a winning society and with regard to that matter of national unity and reconciliation, of non racism. Clearly the development of all our languages is very important and I think that one of the great treasures that we have in this country is the Tamil language as was said, one of the oldest spoken languages in the world that we can say as South Africans that one of our important languages is Tamil must surely be a matter of great pride to all of us. I am told that the younger people are perhaps not getting sufficient of an opportunity to learn Tamil. I think that this is not a good thing and so I think one of the matters we must address again after this elections is the teaching of Tamil at schools. It would make no sense, it would make no sense whatsoever that we as South Africans should with our eyes opened loose such a valuable language merely because we do not create a space in our schools for the language to be taught. I think that we must also ensure that the Commission that has been established according to which is required by our constitution, that the commission on language, cultural and religious rights that, that commission functions properly, that Tamil and the Tamil people are properly represented within that commission, so that the Tamil language, Tamil culture, religious rights are also observed and protected and promoted in our country as part of the tasks of our government. I am also certain that we need to improve the process of regular consultation between the government and the Tamil Federation. It is important to do that so that indeed the government should always have it’s ear opened to the concerns, interests and the needs of the Tamil population of South Africa, so that the government is able to respond speedily and correctly to such issues of concern as might be raised by the Tamil population of South Africa and therefore I think that the government that gets formed after the 14th April must indeed take steps to make sure that it maintains regular and proper contact and good discussion with the Tamil Federation. The matter of the identity of the Tamil population of South Africa and therefore the identity of South Africa as this diverse nation that we are also relates to the question of the respect and the development of the culture of the Tamil people. And so I think we must agree, we must agree that the public broadcaster, the SABC must create the space to show Tamil films. Again it cannot be right, it cannot be right that the public broadcaster, the public broadcaster does not open the door to the display and the promotion of one of the most important cultures in our country and I am quite certain, I am quite certain that after the elections this is a matter that we must discuss with the SABC to make sure that indeed it does happen. The deputy Mayor of eThekwini is here as well as his Excellency the Consul General of India and I do hope that what I heard, I heard of a whisper and a rumour when I was around in Thekwini here, that there are important plans to ensure that Thekwini twins with Chennai. I think that this would be an important thing so that we structure this relationship between this city and Chennai, between the people of South Africa and particularly South India, so that indeed this link that exists between ourselves and India, represented by these musicians and artists who are with us today, so that, that link is strengthened. When we say we must surely be inspired by the Tamil view that this would be a very good year, we must also say that we must extend that good year into this next decade of freedom, that is about to start, so that we should say that our second decade of freedom, our second decade of democracy must also be a very good decade and a very good decade for all our people and part of what must make it a very good decade must be the further enhancement of the role of the Tamil population of our country in the rebuilding of South Africa. There is no particular reason why in the year 2009, the President of South Africa should not be a Tamil. There is no reason whatsoever and so as we look forward to this next decade of freedom. I would say again that we will make it a successful decade for the people of South Africa in part because of what the Tamil population of South Africa will have done to make sure that it is indeed a good decade for all South Africans. Let me say thank you very much to the President of the Tamil Federation of Kwazulu Natal, Tamil Federation, other leaders of the Tamil people, the Tamil people who are here this evening in their thousands. I acknowledge presence of the Consul General of India, Minister Essop Pahad, MEC for Transport in this province, S'bu Ndebele, the Raj, I am sure he has moved his car from where it was blocking others. Our friends from India, we were in India at the end of the year last year and had a very, very successful visit and a very warm reception and the message that was communicated to us by the Indian government, by the Indian population, business people, ordinary people, journalists, professionals, everybody, even waiters in the places where we stayed, there was one united message that came from the people of India which was that, the success of South Africa is a matter that is central to the concerns, to the thinking, the hearts, the minds of the Indian people. I am very, very pleased indeed, I am very, very pleased indeed that we have with us the artists from India today to demonstrate precisely that connection that brotherhood, that sisterhood that shared destiny between this country and India and of course I would like to say welcome also to our friends from Reunion, from other countries of Southern Africa and from Sri Lanka and as a government and as a people we really do hope and pray that this long protracted conflict in Sri Lanka will be resolved. It will be and must be resolved in a manner that is just, in a manner that takes into account the concerns and the interests and the aspirations of all of the people of Sri Lanka and we must be ready to do whatever we can to contribute to an outcome and an outcome that will be a happy outcome for all of the people of Sri Lanka. And so I like to want to say welcome very much to the delegation from Sri Lanka and I hope that they do have a successful stay in this country. A Happy New Year to everybody. Mikka Nanri, Mikka Nanri, Mikka Nanri |
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