The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has congratulated former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem “Navi” Pillay on what it describes as her receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize, praising her longstanding contributions to human rights, international justice and accountability for crimes against humanity.
In its statement, the GTF highlighted Pillay’s role in keeping allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Sri Lanka’s armed conflict on the international agenda, describing her efforts as particularly significant to the Tamil community.
The organisation said Pillay’s call for an international investigation into alleged atrocities in Sri Lanka marked an important moment in the continuing pursuit of truth and justice for victims and survivors of the conflict.
It noted that although meaningful justice remains elusive, the international attention sustained through her efforts continues to provide hope to victims, survivors and their families.
Reflecting on her career, the GTF praised Pillay’s involvement in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and her subsequent work as a lawyer, jurist, international judge and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The organisation said her contributions helped advance the recognition of rape and sexual violence as crimes under international law, strengthening accountability mechanisms and protecting the dignity and rights of survivors.
The GTF also recalled its members’ interactions with Pillay and her officials during her tenure as UN High Commissioner, stating that those engagements reinforced their commitment to advocating human rights and justice without discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or identity.
The statement further highlighted Pillay’s more recent work examining alleged atrocities in Gaza, including her conclusions concerning genocide, describing this as evidence of her commitment to ensuring that international law is applied universally, regardless of the countries or parties involved.
The organisation stressed the importance of strengthening international legal institutions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), particularly at a time when international law, human rights and multilateral institutions face growing challenges.
The GTF also expressed pride in Pillay’s Tamil heritage, describing her achievements as an inspiration to Tamil communities worldwide and an example of how individuals of Tamil origin can contribute to the advancement of human rights and justice internationally.
Highlighting her continued advocacy at the age of 85, the organisation said Pillay’s career demonstrated that the pursuit of justice is a lifelong responsibility extending beyond official positions and international recognition.
The Global Tamil Forum concluded by wishing Pillay continued good health and expressing hope that her work would inspire future generations to uphold truth, dignity, equality and justice.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee officially announced Pillay as the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize laureate on October 9, recognising her efforts to promote peace and international law. (Newswire)
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