Ira de Silva London, Canada

The Editor
Toronto Star
One Yonge Street,
Toronto, Ont.
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Dear Sir:
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Contrary to the bald openingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  statement that Canada does not have a “Tamil problem”, it does.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Is it not a Tamil problem whenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  supporters of the Tamil Tiger terrorists or LTTE are living in large numbers in Toronto as demonstrated vividly when they took to the streets of Toronto and Ottawa in their thousands last year waiving theirƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LTTE flags flouting the lawsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of Canada?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is a proven fact that theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have been funding terrorism in Sri Lanka for decades collectingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and sending millions of dollars from CanadaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for bombings, suicide and otherwise, massacres of civilians and destroying the livelihoods of millions of Sri Lankans. It could be argued that in that case the problem was for Sri Lankans because it was they who were killed but they knew that it was a “Tamil problem” originating from the Tamils in Canada.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
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The media continuously refers to the “triumphalist government” – it sounds good but that statement has no substance. The only “triumph” was that Sri Lanka was rescued from extreme terrorism by the LTTE and since May 2009 there has not been a single instance of busses and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ trains being blown up or any other act of terrorist violence so that the population is now free of terror and is able to move around without fear. It was a “triumph”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for all Sri LankansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who prefer their life without terrorist fears which it appears the writer does not want them to have. Too bad.
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As for making the Tamils want to flee, obviously the writer does not have current information on the situation in Sri Lanka and prefers to live in the past believing as gospel what the LTTE propaganda machine in Toronto was and still is churning out. For his information, the latest report from UNHCRƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  says that Tamil refugees have started to return to Sri Lanka fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil Nadu, India. Tamil Nadu, India is the homeland of TamilsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  where over sixty-five million of them live and the Tamils of Sri Lanka have close ties to their relatives there,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ yet they prefer to go back to Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  According to Michael Zwack, UNHCR representative in Sri Lanka, “the numbers of returns are not currently high, but it is significant to see that they have already exceeded that of all 2009.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We can expect more refugees will start to consider returning home, reconnecting with their families, and rebuilding their lives in this post-conflict phase”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Please note these Tamils are returning voluntarily to Sri Lanka. It also gives the lie to the claims of conditions in Sri Lanka by these boat peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and their advocates in Toronto. The Tamils are not fleeing in desperation to Canada as the writer claims, they are economic migrants who have relatives who have made successful claims for refugee status in Canada, are enjoying the free benefits Canada offers and are now waiting for their relatives who are on this boat. Further they have the support of the front organizations of the LTTE in Canada to support them in their claim to stay in Canada – just check the news reports.
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Also giving the lie to the writers argument that these people are leaving in “desperation”, would the writer be able to explain how these supposedly poor, desperate people found the $45,000 each to pay for this passage? Would anyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ordinary working Canadian be able to pay $45,000 for a journey even if it is to paradise?
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It has only beenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fifteen months since the end of a thirty year terrorist war yet the west deems that Sri Lanka has not done enough. For his information, it is because of what Sri Lanka has done in this short period of time that even the bleeding hearts at the UN haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ advised earlier this year that Sri Lanka was not a refugee producing country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ThisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ July 5, 2010ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the United Nations refugee agency guidelines for Sri Lankans stated – Sri Lankans originating from the north of the country are no longer in need of international protection under broader refugee criteria or complementary forms of protection solely on the basis of risk of indiscriminate harm. In light of the improved human rights and security situation in Sri Lanka, there is no longer a need for group based protection mechanisms or for a presumption of eligibility for Sri Lankans of Tamil ethnicity originating from the north of the country”.
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The Australian Government issued the following statement on July 12,2010. It stated that “recent country information suggests the situation in Sri Lanka is improving and stabilising in some areas. This includes the recently released UNHCR eligibility guidelines for Sri Lanka, which support existing information indicating that conditions are improving and that a greater number of asylum seekers may not be refugees under the Refugees Convention – Fact Sheet 75a – Suspension of Asylum Claim Processing for Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
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These are the latest reports from Sri Lanka. It is only natural that the Tamil Tiger supporters would claim that the conditions are dire for Tamils completely ignoring the millions of Tamils who are living in every part of Sri Lanka with the other communities without any problem.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the more Tamils they can get into the country the better as it will swell their support base and coffers. It is well known from the statements of the Tamil leadersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Canada that their goal is to re-group, they have formed what they call the Global Tamil Forum, a large contingent from Toronto attended that well publicized event in the U.K. as well asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Trans National Government in the U.S. etc. to further their goal of dividing Sri Lanka. The response from Canadians indicates that, unlike the writer and the continued support for the Tamil Tiger supporters in Canada by media such as the Toronto Star, they not only have the correct information regarding these boat people but that they do not believe the LTTE propaganda. As for the Sri Lankan High Commissioner urging Canadian authorities to turn away the Sun Sea, she was urging the Canadian governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to do what other countries such as the U.S. and Australia would do.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is why this boat came to Canada and did not go elsewhere.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Canadians should be grateful as she was merelyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ asking the Canadian government to protect Canadians and indirectly Sri Lankans from continued terrorism.
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Yours truly,
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Ira de Silva
London, Canada