TYO - Canada
JANUARY 2009
REACH
Vol - 11
VISION: To work towards the enhancement of the Tamil Nation and to provide an avenue for the betterment of the Tamil youth in Canada
Official Newsletter of TYO - Canada JANUARY 2009
Vol - 11
Message from TYO - Canada The artillery shells come down one after another, non-stop. Run! But where can they go? BLOOD! SPLATTERED BODIESS!! “Ambulance” But there isn’t any! Hundreds dead. Pieces of bodies cover the streets. Sometimes you can’t even identify the body. Sometimes it’s a whole family. NOW! They need you now! We as the youth must unite to stop the atrocities that are happening to Tamils in Eelam. We have to get the rest of the world involved and together we must put a stop to the raging genocide taking place in Sri Lanka. Innocent civilians are being killed by the Sri Lankan army in the so called ‘safe zone’ committed by the government itself. Let’s get people aware. Let’s stand up! Raise our voices against these murders because all these innocent deaths will not go in vain! TYO members please stay aware of what is happening back home and become the messenger these dead souls. Make sure people know how and why they died. United we will end the genocide.
INSIDE Learn From History Pages 2 - 3 Youth Actions to Stop Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka Pages 4 - 10 Letter Writing Tips Page 12
In solidarity, TYO – Canada
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Declaration of Independence of Kosovo
Historical Perspective
and its analogue with Tamil Eelam Heartfelt felicitations to the new and independent state of Kosovo from the Tamils of Tamil Eelam. The putative state of Tamil Eelam is itself experiencing its birth pangs but eventually nothing can stop its onward march to self-determination, independence and democracy. The birth of a new state, born out of the fire and fight for liberation is an occasion for us to celebrate and welcome to the assembly of free nations. We believe that man was created to be free and that any form of subjugation is a fundamental breach of human nature. It is indeed a sad commentary that in the twenty first century, despite the manifold attempts of mankind to be truly liberated in body and mind, there are still severe constraints on man’s ability to be truly free of oppression; ! be it political, economic, cultural, religious or racial. The United Nations has done its best to promote freedom and human rights but sadly the committee structures within it have proved weak and contentious to act decisively to enforce the charter and codes that it has so bravely proclaimed, in member countries that have chosen to flagrantly flout it. The former Republic of Yugoslavia was one of them and it took years
of inaction on the part of the UN and EU to stop the psychopathic Serbian leaders Slobodan Milosovec or Radivic Karadzic from operating a vicious and obnoxious ethnic cleansing policy to achieve Greater Serbia. The EU and NATO did eventually get their act
together to stop this rape and murder within Europe. Kosovo, predominantly for the Kosovan Muslims although there is a minority of Serbs, was born out of this conflagration. Former U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark, who led the NATO alliance during the 1999 Serbia - Kosovo conflict, said of Kosovo’s independence “There was no way beyond moving to this step.” But he urged the international community to work with Serbia to keep the country moving toward integration with
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Europe and “to help them understand their situation.” “I’m very sad that the Serbs are unable to understand what’s happened,” Clark told CNN, “But the magnitude of Serb repression of the Albanian majority there and the violence that accompanied the ethnic cleansing in 1998 and 1999 was just so overwhelming that I think the Serb people have to understand that the Albanians themselves have to have this separation.” If there are any Tamils still remaining along with those in the
Historical Perspective
TYO - Canada international community who are so ignorant of the strength of our claim in international law for a separate state of Tamil Eelam, they have only got to look at the current declaration of independence of the new state of Kosovo to know that those who are scornful of our claims are being deliberately mendacious. Of course the Sri Lankan government will refuse to recognise Kosovo but that is what they will do to protect their invidious claim over our homeland. However, the USA, Canada, Australia and the EU (including France, Germany and the UK) have already indicated their willingness to recognise Kosovo. Russia (a Slav country) with her grip on Chechnya and China with her occupation of Tibet are the totalitarian states that will seek to justify their position by withholding recognition of Kosovo. In essence, the free world will recognise Kosov! o and the case for Tamil Eelam is irrefutably made in the process. The severity of Serb repression or the duration of it was nothing compared to the ruthlessness of the Sinhala war to exterminate the Tamils in their own homeland. It would indeed be duplicitous for the US or EU or the Sinhalas or even some Tamils to contend that Tamil Eelam should remain within the failed state of Sri Lanka merely on the grounds of limited size or the self-serving autochnous Sinhala constitution which disenfranchised the Tamil people. This dishonest and dishonourable position will now be seen in light of Kosovo to be invidious in international law and utterly hopeless in reality. There is a de facto state in existence in Tamil Eelam and
JANUARY 2009 it is supported by the fundamentals of its histo! ry and de jure situation. If the Sinhalas and their fellow travellers choose to ignore the incontrovertible claim of the history of the Tamil nation over two millenia on the island of Sri Lanka in order to continue with their hegemony and instead point to the size of the land mass or the population of Tamil Eelam and argue maladroitly that it cannot sustain an independent state, the facts about Kosovo will bite back at them. Kosovo at 4200 sq. miles and a population of 2 million is much smaller than the proposed independent state of Tamil Eelam at 7500 sq. miles and a population of 4 million. Not that such figures have troubled the sterile argument of these doom-sayers in the past when confronted with mini states the size of East Timor. Eritrea, or Singapore. But the immediacy of the birth of an independent Kosovo out of their war against the genocide perpetrated by the Serbs in territory that historians consider to be the birthplace of the Serbian nation is a powerful argument for the establishment of Eelam in our own historical homeland ! on which the Sinhalas have no claim whatsoever. It is indeed a great day for Kosovo and a greater day for the indomitable free spirit of mankind. Never let it be said that it is only the people of Europe who are entitled to freedom from oppression. The free spirit of a people encompassing an ancient culture, language and traditions of the Eelam Tamils also needs the free world to set them free. Genocide in Sri Lanka should be confronted and defeated by the international community, if the
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problems obtaining there are not to reach the levels of intractability of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. It was ignored by the West for far too long and has made the Middle East the tinderbox that it is now. The Tamil Diaspo! ra in the West and India through to its next generation, is gaining st rength and position of influence and it behoves the international community to act with proper consideration to stop the extermination of the Tamil people before the issue becomes internationalised. A first generation Afro-American, Barrack Obama, born of a Kenyan Muslim father is today’s front runner for the Democratic Party’s nomination and it gives hope to all of us who are hardworking immigrants. There must be many Members of Parliament (MPs) in Britain and Canada who must know that their Tamil constituents who form a significant minority in their electorates are watching their MPs with close interest. They wish to see that their MPs understand the merits of this conflict and are able to disentangle themselves from the pejorative label of terrorism that is employed by the rapacious Sinhala state of Sri Lanka in order to cover up their ethnic genocide. They also wish to see their MPs disavow the ‘Milosovec’ like Rajapakse fascist state of Sri Lanka and to show their suppo! rt for a free and democratic Tamil Eelam to join the free world, with a Tamil nation complete with its educated and sophisticated meritocrats. The free will of the Tamils will ultimately prevail. That is the lesson of history. By: Ivan Pedropillai B.Sc., M.Sc., FCCA, FCMA Courtesy: TamilCanadian (February 19, 2008)
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TYO - Canada
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Hunger Strikes Youth Attempts to Create Awareness about the Humanitarian Crisis in Vanni
Markham Tamil Youth
Ryerson University Tamil Students
YOUTH Canada
The awareness events were held on campus leading up to the 30 hour fast that started on Monday, January 26, 2009. The fast was held at the Ryerson Student Centre. About 20 students took part in the hunger strike.
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Hunger Strikes Youth Attempts to Create Awareness about the Humanitarian Crisis in Vanni
UTSG Tamil Students The awareness events were held on Jan 21, 22, 23 leading up to a 24 hour fast that started on Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Signatures for 2 petitions were gathered and Omni TV media was present. There were 35 students participated in the fasting.
YOUTH Canada
UTSC Tamil Students The awareness events were held on campus leading up to the 24 hour fast that started on Tuesday, January 27. Signatures were gathered for petitions. Mainstream media and campus newspaper interviewed students. 128 students fasted.
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Hunger Strikes Youth Attempts to Create Awareness about the Humanitarian Crisis in Vanni
Waterloo University Tamil Students The 24 hour fast started on Wednesday, January 28th at the Student Life Centre. CTV News as well as campus newspapers did media coverage. Signatures were gathered for a petition to Prime Minister Harper. Huge banners and paintings got the attention from all the students and staffs. There were around 50 students fasting.
UTM Tamil Students The 24 hour hunger strike started on Tuesday, January 27th. There were around 20 students took part in fasting. Awareness events to educate fellow non-Tamil students took place before and during the hunger strike.
YOUTH Canada
HUNGER STRIKE - Thiyagi Thileepan Anna Thileepan, the young Tiger leader of Jaffna, took the podium on the 14th September at the Nallur Kandasamy temple to commence his fast- unto-death as a protest against India’s failure to fulfill her pledges, and to mobilize the frustrated sentiments of the Tamils into a national mass upsurgence. Thileepan’s non-violent struggle was unique and extraordinary for its commitment. Although an armed guerrilla fighter, he chose the spiritual mode of ‘ahimsa’ as enunciated by the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi to impress upon India the plight and predicament of the people of Tamil Eelam. The levels to which the Tamil people or more specifically, the LTTE cadres, are prepared to go for their freedom mirrors not only a deep passion for their liberation, but indicates the phenomenal degree of oppression they have been subjected to. It is only those who experience intolerable oppression of such a magnitude, of being threatened with extinction, that are capable of supreme forms of self sacrifice as we have seen from Thileepan’s episode. - Ms. Adele Balasingham, Courtesy: Tamilnation.org
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Youth Protests
Youth creating awareness through massive but peaceful demonstrations
Centennial College Tamil Students
Centennial College Tamil Students protested outside of their school and created awareness about the systematic genocide in Sri Lanka. About 250 students took part in this demonstration.
YOUTH Canada
L’Amoreaux High School Students LÀmoreaux C.I. High School students protested outside of their school, near the main intersection, and created awareness about the systematic genocide in Sri Lanka. More than 150 students took part in this demonstration. Parents were also present at the protest to support their children.
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Youth Protests Youth creating awareness through massive but peaceful demonstrations
Tamil Students and Graduates Protest
Many students and graduates gathered at the heart of down town Toronto (Dundas Square) and protested for 24 hours continuously in order to bring awareness about the sufferings of Tamils in Sri Lanka. NonTamil friends also took part in this event. Main stream media coverage was significant.
YOUTH Canada
TCSW infront of US Consulate
Tamil Youth volunteered and took part in the protest infront of the US Consulate for Toronto, organized by the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War (TCSW). TCSW is the largest peace organization in the Greater Toronto Area, representing over 60 labour, student, faith and community groups. http://www.nowar.ca/ 8
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Youth Protests Youth creating awareness through massive but peaceful demonstrations
Protest at the Sri Lankan Consulate
Tamil youth, with the support from parents and fellow community members, organized a protest infront of the Sri Lankan consulate for Toronto. The event took place on January 27th. The cries of the youth received main stream media coverage.
Toronto Sun Newspaper
YOUTH Canada
Tamil community organized a peaceful demonstration infront of the Toronto Sun media office. The objective of the demonstration was to request the Canadian mainstream media to publish the attrocities happening to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. The event became a huge success when the media interviewed youth whom explained about the plight of Tamil people.
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Vol - 11
Youth Protests Youth creating awareness through massive but peaceful demonstrations
Albert Campbell High School Students Tamil Students of Albert Campbell organized a protest against the ongoing genocide of Eelam Tamils by the Sri Lankan government. Over 200 students participated during the rally. Brochures were handed out about the situation in Sri Lanka.
YOUTH Canada
Human Chain in Toronto Tamil Youth actively took part in Community organized Human Chain Protest in Toronto. Youth community members presenting the humanitarian crisis to the Canadian mainstream media was a huge success.
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“He was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages; so ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on.” - Benjamin Franklin
Speak Out As Tamil youth in Canada, we have the ultimate duty of educating others, as well as ourselves of the suffering of the Tamil people. Understanding is crucial. And with understanding comes awareness, the most essential step in the path to progress. Ignorance is not a bliss. • Stay updated with recent news • Write to your local politicians • Attend rallies • Enlighten non-Tamil peers • Write a poem, articles, essay • Research, understand and recite
Join TYO Our doors are always open to new members that are looking to make a difference for Tamils around the world. As an organization with the interests of Tamil youth at heart, TYO provides opportunities for Canadian Tamil youth to network, contribute, and develop their skills in various areas as well. Interested in getting involved? Please contact us at
contact@canadatyo.org Or visit us at
www.canadatyo.org 11
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Tips on Writing a Letter to your Local MP DO NOT:
- Write to other MP’s – only to your own. MP’s are not required to read letters from non-constituents - Copy and paste letters – doing so will result in not only your letter being dismissed, but everybody else’s as well
DO:
- Keep your letter under a page - Write the letter in your own words - Mail your letter and sign it personally (more effective), E-mail as a second option - Ask for a reply to your letter and follow-up with another detailed message after the reply
Please follow the following format and suggested letter flow when writing to your MP: Your Name House, Street City, Postal Code Phone Number MP’s Name MP’s constituency address Date Dear Mr/Ms (MP’s Name) State the purpose of your letter in 2-5 sentences and how the issue affects you. If possible include a personal story and/or information on how this issue affects your, your family or people around you. This will create more impact and will help your representative form a position around the issue. Give a summary of the situation in 2-4 sentences; only use reputed sources of information. Ask your MP to take concrete action by giving an instruction. (eg. Have an emergency debate in the House of Commons, speak to the PM on your behalf and make a statement on the situation). Thank the MP for their time and ask for a reply. Yours sincerely, Your Name Courtesy: PRESS
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TYO - Canada
JANUARY 2009
For our next month’s issue: Submit your written work based on
‘Your Knowledge of the Current Situation in Sri Lanka’ Please follow the guidelines below. Don’t forget to add reach@canadatyo.org to your e-mail safe list. We appreciate all of your time and effort. TYO - Canada
Guidelines: o All submissions must be in English o You may create your own title for your work o Written work should be within 750 words (or 2 pages letter sized), 12 pt font (Times) o Can be written in any form (article, research essay, poem, story, etc.) o Include your name, contact info, and University/ College/ High School (If applicable) o Submit before February 24th, 2009 o Must be e-mailed to reach@canadatyo.org with the subject ‘Reach-Feb 2009’ o Please attach a word file or copy and paste your work in your e-mail
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