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Tamil protesters getting desperate
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| Magnetonium |
These people are dumb. No offense. They are messing up other people's lives, too. What do they expect - Canada to bend over and change its entire foreign policy to appease a terrorist group? Pfffft. The reason why Tamils are getting routed in north Sri Lanka is because hundreds of thousands of Tamils have immigrated elsewhere and now there's noone there to stop the indiscriminate government offensive.
And besides - no Canadian sactions against Sri Lanka will stop the atrocious attack on Tamil Tiger positions by Sri Lankan government forces. Oh, this "blockade" that Tamils are hoping for from Canada will fail, and will only bring a negative consequences to Canada.
We all know that Sri Lankan government has long been discriminate against Tamil minority, but then the Tigers aren't quite the angels themselves either. Even the UN has confirmed that the rebels are preventing civilians from fleeing the areas controlled by them, effectively using civilians as human shields. And the government forces are more than happy to bomb them all.
http://www.thespec.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/564409
More to come, say Tamil protesters
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Don't block roadways, politicians warn
May 12, 2009
Nicole Baute and Kenyon Wallace
Toronto Star
(May 12, 2009)
They stormed the Gardiner Expressway and screamed for help until their voices were hoarse -- and yesterday Tamil protesters said there could be more drastic traffic-stopping demonstrations in the coming days if the Canadian government does not finally hear their cries.
"We don't care what happens to us," said Ghormy Theva, 21. She said she and other young protesters have run out of ideas for "extreme measures," but that she's willing to risk everything to draw attention to the suffering in Sri Lanka.
Hundreds of people were reported killed Sunday and yesterday in artillery barrages that struck the narrow strip of territory controlled by the separatist Tamil Tigers. Some estimates put the death toll in the thousands. A United Nations spokesman in Sri Lanka called it a "blood bath," even though gathering reliable information from the troubled region is very difficult at best.
In Toronto, Tamil-Canadians called the attacks genocide. Senthan Nada, a spokesperson for the Coalition to Stop the War in Sri Lanka, said there could be more large protests in the coming days.
"No one wants to cause an inconvenience but ... members of the community have seen their blood relatives massacred and killed in the most inhumane ways," he said. "If this happens after four months of peaceful protests, what else is there to do?"
Yesterday politicians faced the difficult task of criticizing the protesters for Sunday's Gardiner blockade while at the same time showing support for the heartbroken Tamil community, and yet distancing themselves from the Tamil Tigers, who were labelled a terrorist group by the Conservative government in 2006.
"The protestors were endangering themselves, they were endangering the public, and they were endangering the Toronto police," Mayor David Miller told reporters at City Hall. "The Tamil community needs to hear two things from us," the mayor said. "First is, occupying roads like the Gardiner isn't acceptable, and the police will prevent you from doing it and will remove you when you do."
Then he took a more sympathetic tone: "The second is that Torontonians understand that there needs to be an end to the hostilities in Sri Lanka and certainly understands the pain people feel."
Premier Dalton McGuinty echoed the mayor's sentiments, saying yesterday that there is a "right way and a wrong way to protest." McGuinty said people have the right to demonstrate on the front lawn of Queen's Park, but not the Gardiner.
But he said he recognized how the violence in Sri Lanka is affecting the local community. "They are talking about family and friends who are mired in a very difficult circumstance in Sri Lanka."
There are some 200,000 Tamil-Canadians in the GTA, the largest population outside of Sri Lanka.
In a statement, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said Liberal officials stepped in to try to end Sunday's protest in the interest of public safety. "The protest had blocked the highway and put the safety of the protesters and innocent bystanders -- including women and small children -- at risk," Ignatieff said.
"Our party has raised, and will continue to raise, the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka in the House of Commons," the statement said. "But the Liberal Party of Canada stands firmly against terrorism, and I restate our unequivocal condemnation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam."
Ignatieff was asked about the Tamil demonstrations in a meeting with ethnic reporters at Queen's Park last night.
"We made it very clear we do not approve of these demonstrations on public roadways because they're dangerous," he said.
The protesters who flooded the Gardiner Sunday night are demanding international sanctions against the Sri Lankan government until it enters into a ceasefire with Tamil rebels in the country's north.
Sitting under a white tent on the lawn of Queen's Park yesterday morning, Gunam Veerakathipillai, 52, said he has been on a hunger strike for eight days. The Pickering resident said he won't eat anything until he has a written promise from the federal government that it will intervene to end the carnage in his native Sri Lanka.
"I have lost 18 family members to the Sri Lankan armed forces so I can't live a normal life anymore," said Veerakathipillai, lying on a mattress, his voice cracking. "I'm suffering but my suffering is nothing. My people are suffering a hundred times more than this."
On Sunday, about 5,000 grief-stricken Tamil-Canadians marched from Queen's Park and straight up the Spadina ramp and onto the Gardiner around 6:30 p.m. The elderly, children and even toddlers camped out on the highway for up to seven hours, blocking traffic in both directions and shouting, "No more genocide!"Organizers agreed to move from the freeway around midnight only after a representative in Ignatieff's office promised to bring up the demonstrators' cause in Parliament.
In the House of Commons, Liberal MP Rob Oliphant accused the government of failing "to step up to the international plate."
When asked what instructions the government had given to Canada's UN ambassador and high commissioner to aggressively pursue a ceasefire and to ensure international humanitarian presence, federal International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda said her government had taken "significant steps."
"We've continually asked for a ceasefire and unhindered access for humanitarian aid," she said.
But such comments did not placate a crowd of about 300 protesters gathered at Queen's Park yesterday and a further 200 protesters gathered outside the Sri Lankan consulate near Yonge St. and St. Clair Ave.
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| jerZ07002 |
| these idiots have held protests outside my building in times square a few over the past month. it's more annoying than anything else. |
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| DJ Damerchi |
To be fair Magnetonium, The oppression started not as a result of the emigration-but that did make things worse. Canada seems to have taken the largest burden of all the western nations, having 1 tamil for every 9 in Sri Lanka. It becomes frustrating when these immigrants rise through the ranks of organized crime, sometimes violent, only to funnel the money back to the Tamil Tigers.
When the Sinhalese majority was given all the power from the British, it wasn't a short time before the conflict emerged, leading to the start of the civil war in the 80's. I am trying to keep a very neutral view here, but the Sri Lankan military had committed countless warcrimes against tamil civilians in the beginning, with thousands upon thousands of men dissapearing. there still exists army camps to this day that have detained these men for a significant portion of their life, with their families not being able to know if they are alive. I actually saw a Rageh Omar special about this, it centered around women who had lost their sons at a young age, and the sinhalese and tamils were working together to try to find out the whereabouts of their kids. Mostly for symbolic purposes, these women were often times holding on to whatever hope that their son was alive, even if it was highly unlikely. Some would shell out 75 percent of their wage on the oracle, just so they could be put at ease.
I think in this conflict, the line between state sponsored terrorism versus standard terrorism is blurred. This approach from the Sinhalese gov. created a beast out of the tamil movement, and the vengeful attitude got worse through time, creating a bloody quarter century conflict. I often here speculation that the Tigers are in their last hours, but goddamn, the Tamils are resourceful as hell-they make their own planes and Subs!
Sometimes people are protesting because they just need to take out their frustration, as Canada is not the enemy here as stated before. If they just fine everyone that's there who doesn't comply when asked to leave, I don't see a problem with it. |
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| Magnetonium |
^^^ It's true what you said. Sri Lankan government has been brutal against Tamil minority, and India hasn't been helpful either.
Its yet another one of those issues that has been ignored by the world.
One thing that puzzles me is why don't Tamil Tigers allow journalists in areas controlled by them so that we can confirm that they're right. It makes sense why Sinhalese majority bans journalists in their areas of control (for obvious reasons), but when Tamils do the same, one may wonder if they are also trying to cover some of their crimes.
As you can imagine, I know a few Tamils themselves, and they are not associated with Tamil Tigers, but are very proud and supportive of their homeland.
I think the reason why Tamils are being ignored is because the world governments are fearful, resentful of separatist movements. Even though there have been numerous double standards applied to the situation elsewhere, like in Kosovo. |
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| Fir3start3r |
While I have some sympathy to their plight, I agree with Dalton Mcguinty (Ontario PM) on this one; there's a right way and a wrong way to peacefully protest.
Screwing with everyone else's life just to push your own agenda is NOT the right way to do it and for that reason alone I hope the police have big ass water cannons to sweep them off the major roads next time they pull that stunt.
The other reason being that the Tamil's are a listed terrorist group here in Canada; what the hell do they figured we'd do? Stick our neck out for terrorists?? Riiiiight... |
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| TheDemon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
While I have some sympathy to their plight, I agree with Dalton Mcguinty (Ontario PM) on this one; there's a right way and a wrong way to peacefully protest.
Screwing with everyone else's life just to push your own agenda is NOT the right way to do it and for that reason alone I hope the police have big ass water cannons to sweep them off the major roads next time they pull that stunt.
The other reason being that the Tamil's are a listed terrorist group here in Canada; what the hell do they figured we'd do? Stick our neck out for terrorists?? Riiiiight... |
Exactly. Its a shame what's going on over there. But unfortunately no one really cares and that's the sad part. Plus, do they have oil? gas? any natural resources that could be of benefit to us or any other country? if they did you know the U.S would be the first country to lend a hand.
Its funny, these people think by being rude and obnoxious through their protesting that someone is gonna get up and do something about it. Look at the middle east and how much conflict is going on there. you never see middle eastern people here block the Gardner for any reason. face the facts, Sri lanka is poor country that no one really cares about. |
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| Magnetonium |
If only the Basque separatist movement was not called a terrorist group ... :stongue:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/colu...464786-sun.html
Races, not racism
Protests bother all Canadians
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Was it racist when Sinhalese-Canadian teen Sashya Karunanayake was threatened death by two male Tamil-Canadian protesters Wednesday?
Is it racist to curse people blocking a child from her cancer treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital?
Or racist to get fired up while stuck in an illegal shut down of a roadway while missing Mother's Day dinner or to point out using children, some in Tamil Tiger military fatigues and waving banned terrorist flags, in dangerous protests to score political points for a terrorist group is despicable?
Will it be racist to be outraged this Victoria Day weekend if Canadian-Tamil protesters block highways?
"Let's not pretend that much of the condemnation of Tamils in Canada for protesting the plight of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka isn't racist," wrote Sun associate editor Lorrie Goldstein yesterday.
If he is right, we collectively had better throw the Tamil-Canadian protesters the keys and tell them to let us know when we can have our city back because that's going to mean there are a lot of racists here.
But the labelling of some who speak out against the Tamil-takeover of the downtown core as intolerant, is playing right into the hands of protesters, insists a group of Sri Lankans who are not only opposed to the civil disobedience but warn if Canadian justice doesn't start cracking down it could breed a new generation of Tamil Tigers.
"This could lead to home-grown terrorism that would seek to continue the violent and destructive ways to destabilize Sri Lanka even after the Tigers military capability is neutralized," said Mahinda Gunasekera, honorary president of the Sri Lankan United National Association of Canada.
Sitting at a news conference at the Radisson Hotel on Queens Quay were a number of Sri Lankan Canadians -- of Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim backgrounds -- saying there is racism all right but it is the Tamil Tigers who practise it.
"They want a racist separatist state," said Toronto Sri Lankan community spokesman Hasaka Rathamalala. "And they use child soldiers."
Lenin Benedict said this is not a racial problem as much as it is a Tamil Tiger problem.
"I am of Tamil origin and because I am against the Tigers I have been threatened," he said. "There is a silent majority against the Tigers but they are afraid to speak up. I feel taking over the Gardiner is a terrorist act and because I said so they will no longer serve me in Tamil shops."
Or how about the plight of Sashya, the 18-year-old L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute student who says after her anti-Tamil Tiger protest "some guys said we are going to kill you and then they took down my licence plate." Scared Sashya insists it happened and has told police.
Any of that racist?
What upset Goldstein most was hundreds of vile comments on media message boards and in e-mails to him.
He said 400 of the 800 comments he read on Sun message boards, as well as comments on others, including talk radio, crossed the line.
"Shoot the bastards and then ship them back to Tamilia where they came from!" is an example of one response.
Read hundreds of those and you can see why Goldstein, who has been covering racial issues for 30 years, reacted in disgust. For sure there are some racist jerks and there is discrimination that crawls beneath the surface. However I respectfully submit that I get more of a frustrated and fed-up sentiment from people of all different origins tired of the turbulence than the all-out bigotry expressed by gutless and faceless e-mail writers.
In fact I believe Torontonians of all backgrounds have been very patient and understanding. And Sunday night on the Gardiner it was equal-opportunity anger as it was our diverse demographic that was caught in that illegal highway occupation.
If racism was behind the bitching, there are a lot of races taking part.
I have not yet met a Tamil or Sinhalese I didn't like and I wish both would end the bitterness and live in this great country in peace without interfering with those who don't know where Sri Lanka is. At the risk of being intolerant, I believe putting wars in our homelands behind us and choosing to live here in harmony, even amongst former ethnic enemies, is also very Canadian.
Look around and you'll see a lot more of that than you ever will dirty and evil racism. |
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| Lebezniatnikov |
I just went by the White House this afternoon and there are probably 200 protesters there still - gotta give them credit, they've been going every day all week.
It's an unfortunate situation all around, but gathering outside the White House to appeal to "Barack Obama, our savior" probably isn't going to get a lot done. Kind of a sad statement that their attempt to raise awareness of what might well be crimes against humanity only serves to alienate people to their cause. |
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| DJ Damerchi |
| quote: | Originally posted by Magnetonium
^^^ It's true what you said. Sri Lankan government has been brutal against Tamil minority, and India hasn't been helpful either.
Its yet another one of those issues that has been ignored by the world.
One thing that puzzles me is why don't Tamil Tigers allow journalists in areas controlled by them so that we can confirm that they're right. It makes sense why Sinhalese majority bans journalists in their areas of control (for obvious reasons), but when Tamils do the same, one may wonder if they are also trying to cover some of their crimes.
As you can imagine, I know a few Tamils themselves, and they are not associated with Tamil Tigers, but are very proud and supportive of their homeland.
I think the reason why Tamils are being ignored is because the world governments are fearful, resentful of separatist movements. Even though there have been numerous double standards applied to the situation elsewhere, like in Kosovo. |
I hear you man, its practically impossible to cater to every ethnicity. The world is getting very comfortable with these borders, and separatist movements are usually labeled as evil guerrillas and terrorists, even if the recognized state is engaging in equal amounts of shamelessness(or even worse). Aside from an east timor here, and a Montenegro there, the borders of sovereign nations seem to be set in stone for the most part.
Imagine if Russia's ethnically dominated republics wanted independence, India's each and every ethnicity wanted a great degree of autonomy, and China's 50 + registered ethnic groups wanted freedom. It would really be a state of chaos, with guerrilla groups sprouting up everywhere under the potential threat of of nuclear genocides. I have been for the the rights of ethnic minorities, but sometimes the integration of ethnic groups into the state is the best solution.
For example, the Israeli Arabs are better off living as Israeli citizens than they would be if they were a stateless Palestinian in the open air prison. Yes, they will receive racism, 2nd class citizenry, but it is the best option for them. Another doco by the same dude(Rageh Omar) was about an Israeli Arab bedouin that decided to enlist in the Army, even though he would be ostracized by his Bedouin community. His family needed the money, and he had dreams of a bigger future. It was sad when he was dropped off by a car service(his family refused to accompany him), and he was standing around on his own while everyone was and conversing and pumped up, not making the effort to chat with the isolated bedouin. At that moment you could tell he felt extremely abandoned by both sides of the situation. Shed a tear for that one.
I know the ethnic nationalist mentality all too well, My family on my moms side has alot of Peshmerga fighters, and I know a few senior peshmerga members that are now in the cesspool of the Iraqi parliament. Its weird, because when I initially mention this(to westerners), people get a bad buzz, then I clear things up that the Peshmerga actually helped the US invasion, then its all good it seems. In the 80's during the infamous Rumsfeld-Saddam handshake era, we were nothing more than just another pesky ethnic group. So many died before it became hip to care about the Kurdish cause, which occurred precisely when they became guerrillas against a US enemy, and not against a US quasi-ally. Then the masses would follow suit, all of a sudden we were the victims of Saddam's wrath rather than some mountain guerilla faction on a list that Firestarter lives by. Halabja was very symbolic of the turning point, which was only 5,000 dead of about 200 000.
Its not a black and white world, and this dichotomy of terrorist or not a terrorist is retarded imo. I'm not calling NATO terrorists by any means, all I'm saying is is that an air strike that kills 100 civilians in Afghanistan does just a good a job of instilling terror into the people as a classic act of terrorism. People get too caught up in the label "terrorist" that it clouds their ability to judge the situation properly.
It's very interesting to see the reactions in Canada, sadly it seems that most are infuriated with their driving inconvenience that it is making them irrationally pissed off at the entire Tamil community. People instantly draw a connection that Tamil supporters are Tamil Tiger terrorist supporters, which is just pure ignorance. I wonder how the situation would have been received differently if it was for celebrity promoted causes like Darfur and Tibet. People, don't let the presence of a faction that practices terrorism make you blind to the human rights abuses that have been going on in Sri Lanka for a quarter century. |
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| pmoisse |
^ very interesting, nice post.
A friend of mine once dropped a line that has always stuck with me.
It was:
"The difference between a freedom fighter and a terrorist is your own perspecitve and bias"
(or something to that effect)
I think it fits in to your last statement regarding NATO. |
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| Magnetonium |
With Tamil Tigers defeated, their leader killed, and remaining senior officers laying down the guns, peace and independent investigation looming (by EU) one might expect these protesters to go home ... but not. These people are very selfish and ignorant. What do these protesters expect to achieve, and are they making friends / supporters among regular Canadians?
Tamil-Canadians vow to keep protesting
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May 18, 2009
THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — The Tamil community in Canada is greeting Sri Lanka’s declaration of victory over the rebel Tamil Tigers with defiance and disbelief.
Siva Vimal, a 20-year-old Tamil activist, said he expects protests in Toronto will continue because the community’s grievances have not been addressed.
Sri Lanka’s state television station announced Monday that Tamil Tiger rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran has been killed. The country’s army commander said the last pockets of rebel resistance had been cleared from the north.
In Toronto, where varying sizes of crowds of Tamil protesters have gathered for months, Vimal also questioned reports of Prabhakaran’s death, saying confirmation is needed from independent media.
Journalists and nearly all aid workers are barred from the war zone.
Prabhakaran’s death would mark the end of a decades-old quest by the rebel leader for a separate state for minority Tamils across northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
Toronto is frequently at the centre of the Tamil-Canadian demonstrations because it is home to one of the largest Tamil populations outside Sri Lanka.
On May 10, thousands of protesters held an impromptu demonstration on the Gardiner Expressway, shutting the busy Toronto highway into the evening for hours and trapping motorists.
A series of Tamil protests had closed University Avenue, a busy downtown thoroughfare, for more than three days in late April. |
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| Krypton |
| The Tamils deserve it. They had a chance for autonomy back in 2002, but their leader was a greedy cvnt, and decided to keep fighting. Now he and his movement are both dead. |
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