Canada says Sri Lankan Tamils remain fearful, after Tory MP visits region
Posted on November 20th, 2013
Ira de Silva Ontario, Canada
The Editor
Brandon Sun
Brandon Sun
Brandon, MB
‚
‚
Dear Sir:
‚
It is indeed strange that the “Harper government says Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority continues to be fearful of the country’s leadership” when they are living productive lives, free of the fear of being blown up in buses, trains, shops etc. all over the island.- which applied to all Sri Lankans, not just the Tamils. ‚ Under the LTTE‚ the Tamils‚ in the north ‚ did not have freedom of movement,‚ their children were conscripted as child soldiers‚ and they were forced to live as dictated to by‚ the LTTE, a terrorist group that was heavily funded by Canadians and supported by successive Canadian governments.‚
‚
It is indeed strange that the “Harper government says Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority continues to be fearful of the country’s leadership” when they are living productive lives, free of the fear of being blown up in buses, trains, shops etc. all over the island.- which applied to all Sri Lankans, not just the Tamils. ‚ Under the LTTE‚ the Tamils‚ in the north ‚ did not have freedom of movement,‚ their children were conscripted as child soldiers‚ and they were forced to live as dictated to by‚ the LTTE, a terrorist group that was heavily funded by Canadians and supported by successive Canadian governments.‚
‚
It is obvious that Deepak Obhrai went to Sri Lanka with the sole intention of supporting Harper’s decision to boycott the summit because two years ago Harper promised ethnic Tamils in Toronto that he would not go and those who funded terrorism from Canada were ecstatic that they had as their new leader none other than the Canadian prime minister. Obhrai’s bias is exposed because other participants such as Australia, New Zealand Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa, Kenya to name a few,‚ all reported that Sri Lanka was progressing very well since the elimination of the‚ LTTE leadership.‚ Canada and the U.K., who are merely pandering to their domestic Tamil vote bases, went to Sri Lanka with their own agenda but as pointed out to the attendees, those in glass houses should not throw stones!
‚
Further, Canada’s “third level” or may be third rate representation‚ did not have any say at the summit‚ because a voice not heard is a voice denied. Canada’s stature was downgraded as a result of it’s‚ irrational foreign policy.‚ He may have intended to keep the country’s human rights record front and centre, but little was heard from him‚ except the farce of laying the wreath in the north which may have been for his Tamil vote base in Canada but succeeded in‚ annoying all Sri‚ Lankans.‚ In his ignorance he laid the wreath at Elephant Pass the area that had seen heavy fighting and which in 2000 was the scene of the LTTE killing over 1000 soldiers in their attempt to separate the Jaffna peninsula from the mainland.‚ In all the land area he had to lay a wreath, this was a poor choice unless he was commemorating the LTTE success on behalf of Canada.‚ ‚ Even in that his bias and duplicity was illustrated. In English the wording on the wreath‚ read‚ “in memory of all innocent Sri Lankan victims of violence” however in Tamil‚ violence was changed to war and “all Sri Lankans” was changed to “minority”. In Sinhalese too it was not violence but war. However, as the Sinhalese are the majority it is addressed to Sri Lankans. Perhaps Mr. Obhrai believes that the people can not read and are as ignorant of what took place as he is.‚ His gesture was treated with the contempt it deserves.‚
‚
Regarding his questioning whether the Commonwealth is not living up to its core values, what he has not realised is that according to other members at the summit it was Canada that was not living up to the core values of equality, democracy, negotiation, cordial exchange of views, consensus and good manners rather than Canada’s dictating, accusing, demanding and general‚ poor manners and ‚ behaviour.‚ ‚
‚
The Indian Foreign Secretary in an interview with CNN explained that the Indian prime minister did not attend due to domestic pressures. “We are now into five elections and important elections, the last round of elections before the general elections some time in the middle of next year. We are also handling some very, very critical economic issues including issues which are far-reaching reform issues, some of which will come before the next session of Parliament that’s now a few weeks away,” Khurshid said, explaining the reasons for Singh’s absence at the summit. He had the integrity to admit it.‚ ‚ Mauritius, which also has a Prime Minister who is of Tamil descent and a Tamil vote to consider, did not attend. Mauritius which was supposed to host the next summit in 2015. It has now been given to Malta by an unanimous vote‚ taken in Sri Lanka.‚ The Canadian Prime Minister, as all Canadians know, is catering to his Tamil vote base by boycotting the summit but does not have the integrity to admit it.
‚
It appears that it is only to the Canadian media that Obhrai can make a case against Sri Lanka.‚ To the rest of the world who were there, he was insignificant. The news reported that the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo concluded successfully with a firm resolve by member states to face challenges confronting the Commonwealth family. Canada can join with them or be on the sidelines supporting those who‚ funded terrorism or give up trying to get votes on the backs of the victims of those‚ they terrorised.‚
‚
Yours truly,
‚
Ira de Silva
Ontario, Canada
November 20th, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Sri Lankan Tamils could be divided into two main categories.
(a) Those Tamils who supported separatism and joined hands with the LTTE terrorists to commit genocide of non-Tamils living in regions earmarked for a new mono-ethnic Tamil state and (b) those Tamils who opposed the LTTE and were also targeted for elimination by the LTTE.
Today these two categories are fearful of each other and both categories are able to co-exist only because of the strong presence of Sri Lankan security forces in the North, who are currently providing a safe environment for all concerned.
Other than this fear of each other, the presence of a majority of Sri Lankan Tamils outside the North and living amongst Sinhala and Muslim majority areas, proves beyond doubt that they have absolutely no fear of the Sinhalese and the Muslims.
Mr Obhrai need to take note of this reality after 30 years of LTTE terrorism against all ethnic groups in SriLanka.
November 21st, 2013 at 7:10 am
Ira,
Thanks for your write up.
———
Lankan Tamils in Canada want to CREATE fear so that they can go on entering Canada as REFUGEES, as that is the only way they can freely enter Canada. Canada still has WW II rules re Refugees and entry into Canada as REFUGEES is easy. That way, Tamils entering Canada EASILY as Refugees get right royal treatment with issue of Health Cards for free health, a monthly govt stipend, free shelter, etc., compared to those entering Canada as legal emigrants through the tedious processes involved, who get none of these benefits. The latter have to fend for themselves to the best of their abilities.
In order to enter Canada as REFUGEES, some Tamils purposely create trouble in Lanka. A sort of ‘Create Your Own FEAR’ process to go to Canada ! That was the main Purpose of the 1983 Riots – self inflicted wounds first through Caste, next through Riots via the Eelam Separatism demand.
Lanka, wake up !