REACH OFFICIAL E-MAGAZINE OF TYO-CANADA
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The power that lies behind unity is often overlooked until
his daring efforts surely made a statement that has been
the need for it emerges. In this month of September, the
marked down in history. Today, Tamil youth from all over
remembrance of the heroic commitment of our beloved
the world are upholding the demands of Thileepan Anna as
Thileepan Anna is recognized. His determination to fight
we carry on his ultimate message. As Tamil youth, we must
for the rights of Eelam Tamil people is one that highlights
continue to promote our nationality. We must learn from
the importance of the cause. The hunger strike that he had
our historical contexts and ancestors, and we must ensure
undertaken was a direct reflection of the Tamil people’s
that we continue to pass down the knowledge that we have
deprivation of the very rights and freedoms that they should
received to the generations after us. Invest in our nation.
be entitled to. Although Thileepan Anna’s fast had met its unfortunate end with his passing on September 26th, 1987,
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- TYO-Canada
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REACH A [tamil history]
p.4
Thileepan Anna
E [did you know?]
p.15
Enter Lucid Dreaming
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B [world history]
p.5
Mother Teresa
F [face-to-face]
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w/ Piriyanthica & Pirinda Perazhakan
C [youth canada]
p.6
Kilithattu, Ottawa Soccer, Tamileelam Challenge Cup, Transition +
CONTENTS D [world youth]
p.14
Pongu Tamil
H [youth reflection]
p.18
Remembering Thileepan Anna
TYO
To work towards the enhancement of the Tamil Nation and to provide an avenue for the betterment of Tamil youth in Canada
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A [tamil history] Thileepan Anna Tamil history and the roots of our culture go very far back into the past. However, Tamil history is being made every day by our youth. When we look back at our history, we’re reminded of sorrow and hardship. The month of September marks the month that Thileepan Anna gave up his life during his fast for the recognition of the struggle that Tamils have had to endure, and still endure today. Rasaiah Parthipan, widely known as Lt. Thileepan after he joined the LTTE political wing, was a significant martyr in our struggle for freedom. He was a medical student, raised by a single father (mother died during his childhood). He had the makings of a future doctor; however, whatever dreams Thileepan had of becoming a doctor were set aside – freedom meant life sacrifice. Thileepan joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1983 and was the political wing leader of the Jaffna peninsula. On July 29th, 1987, the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was signed, an agreement between India and Sri Lanka that was expected to resolve the on-going civil war. The Tamils were hoping for a peaceful resolution that would be brought in with the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) along with the newly signed accord. It became apparent, however, that the needs of the Tamil people were not in the interest of either governments, and that the needs were going to be overlooked. Knowing this, Thileepan set out to fast for the needs of the Tamil people. His peaceful fast represented five demands. These were: • All Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be released. • The colonisation of Sinhalese in Tamil areas under the guise of rehabilitation should be stopped. • All such rehabilitation should be stopped until an interim government is formed. • The Sri Lankan government should stop opening new Police stations and camps in the Northeastern region. • The Sri Lankan Army and Police should withdraw from schools in Tamil villages and the weapons given by the Sri Lankan government to ‘home guard’ should be withdrawn under the supervision of the Indian army.
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Thileepan started his fast on September 15th, 1987 at 9:30 am at the Nallur Murugan Temple. His fast entailed no food or water, and as days went on, the repercussions of the fast became noticeable. He had clearly begun to grow weaker, and at the site of this, many Tamils were in hope that the IPKF would intervene and the fast would be stopped. However, neither of the governments responded to the hopes and desires of the Tamil people, and on the 12th day of his fast, the doctor checking up on Thileepan on a daily basis was the first to know that we had lost a young, courageous man.The doctor touched Thileepan’s feet and prayed, and the Tamil community knew that Thileepan had become a martyr. Thileepan’s sacrifice is a reminder for all of the youth to not forget the passion and the hardship behind every person who has ever given his or her life to the movement of our Tamil struggle. Thileepan was young, and he was clearly an aspiring human being. His death brought a shock on our community as it showed that the value and importance of taking a peaceful stand for justice was not noticed by authority. It was his death that is well known for having the LTTE start up their struggle in a more evasive manner, and having more people join in support of the LTTE for the injustice shown towards Thileepan, who represented the struggle of the Tamil people. This struggle we speak of and think of so often glooms over us. No matter what it is we’re doing and no matter where we are, the shadow of the struggle follows us. We can be having the best time of our life, but that struggle is still there. We may not see it right away, but the shadow is there. – It is nothing but darkness. The reason why we do not lose our strength to this struggle is because in that darkness, there are specks of light. Thileepan is a speck of light in that darkness. Thileepan, and all of the other martyrs, provide us with the light to fight this struggle. If we didn’t have them to showcase their ability of channeling courage, of fighting evil, and of having passion for our home land, we would have been lost in the struggle. We would have lost the fight. When you think of losing, when you think of how hard this struggle can be, think of Thileepan Anna. Think of his courage, his stand, and his strength. His victory is now our victory.
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B [world history] Mother Teresa At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.’ Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked of human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection. - Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa (1910-1997) is a prominent figure widely recognized for her humanitarian work. She was born into an Albanian family and her birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. From an early age, Mother Teresa had felt as though she had a strong commitment to God and religion. Through her loyalty to God and her strong beliefs in kindness and care giving, Mother Teresa became invested in providing support for those who needed it, especially those who were destitute and ill. She devoted her life to providing service to people who were often neglected by society. Spreading love, compassion, and helpfulness became her purpose in life. This was directly related to her desire in also trying to spread the love of Christ to everyone who surrounded her. Early on, she became a Catholic nun in order to pursue missionary work. Some of her early commitments included joining “The Sisters of Loreto” which was an Irish order. During this process, she had changed her name from Agnes to Teresa. Following this, she went to India to do some missionary work. While she was in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata), she did some teaching at St. Mary’s High School. Shortly after a few years of doing missionary work, Sister Teresa had become Mother Teresa after her final Profession of Vows. While Mother Teresa was teaching, she became deeply moved by the destitute people that she had seen just outside the convent. Their conditions had impacted her so much that she had actually received permission to leave the convent so that she could provide service to those who lived in the slums in Calcutta. She had no real means to support the poor people in the slums, but her belief and determination had motivated her to continue serving those in the slums. Eventually, she had started an outdoor school for these people. Others had seen her hard work and were astonished by her willpower. Her perseverance had resulted in volunteers coming out and providing aid and shortly after, people also started supporting her with financial assistance. This gradual recognition and support in terms of Mother Teresa’s work had made it
possible for Mother Teresa to broaden the social services that she had provided. When Mother Teresa had spent more time providing service in the slums in Calcutta, she realized that there was a great need for basic facilities, such as hospitals, that could provide aid to the destitute people often forgotten in society. In an effort to change this, Mother Teresa had invested time into learning some medical practices so that she could provide some relief to those unfortunate individuals who often needed medical treatment but who were too poor to afford it. It was with this mission that Mother Teresa established the “Missionaries of Charity” in 1950. The group was initially composed of Mother Teresa and a few of her pupils, but shortly after, it became an international association. The Missionaries of Charity provided service to those who were poor and neglected but who needed a lot of care and treatment. In essence, their mission was to provide care for those who were destitute, abandoned, neglected, disabled, and basically those who weren’t shown love or care and who were rather left feeling unwanted and as though they were a burden to society. Through the funds that Mother Teresa had received, she had formed many centers for deprived people who were in need of aid all across the world. In fact, in 1969, the Missionaries of Charity was recognized as an international association. Mother Teresa is clearly an icon in terms of her service and leadership qualities. She had won many different awards for her service, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She had passed away in 1997, but she changed many lives before doing so. It is quite amazing what an individual could accomplish merely be letting her faith in God and her belief in humanity guide her. She serves as an inspirational reminder to everyone that determination, purpose, and hard work could really help you change the world, even if it is one step at a time.
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C [youth canada] Kilithattu 2012 SCARBOROUGH, ON
On Sunday August 26th, 2012, Tamil Youth Organization-Canada hosted its second annual Kilithattu tournament. The national game of Tamileelam brought the community together for the second time and it was a great success. Canadian Tamil youth were excited to participate in the competition and it was a great avenue whereby Tamil youth could preserve the Eelam Tamil identity while also having fun. Many teams who had competed last year had returned in an attempt to win the Tamileelam Heritage Trophy, and many other teams had also been newly formed proudly promoting their team names that had reflected Eelam Tamil identity.
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In the beginners group, defending champions Eelam 89ers had once again won the Tamileelam Heritage Trophy while Team Vanavil had claimed the Tamileelam Heritage Trophy in the competitive group. The tournament effectively educated numerous Canadian Tamil youth about the national sport of Tamileelam, and it also emphasized the importance of preserving the Tamil identity and embracing the national symbols of Tamileelam. It illustrated the solidarity that lies behind the Eelam Tamil youth community.
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Eelam United Soccer Club OTTAWA, ON
Freedom is a right, free Tamileelam. Yes, this has been the chant synonymous with protests by Tamils around the world. However, this powerful slogan has now transformed into a message that is no longer only shouted, and also no longer only repeated by Tamils. This message is now printed on the jerseys of Eelam United Soccer Club from Ottawa, ON. This team was formed in 2010 as an outlet to showcase the talents of Tamil, and to further demonstrate the diversity of our accomplishments and talents while keeping in line with our goals to liberate Tamileelam. The team is composed of players from Tamileelam, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Venezuela, Thailand, Haiti, France, and Sri Lanka, and they all stand united to promote the slogan ‘Freedom is a Right’ and ‘Free Tamileelam’. The diversity of the backgrounds of the players, and the uniqueness of their own individual struggles, have taught them that freedom and justice is a universal right that knows no political or geographical boundaries. Currently, the team is playing in a co-ed league in Ottawa and is at the top of the standings and heading for the championships. The impact of the slogan has already been felt in the league as numerous players have approached players on Eelam United about the slogan and Tamileelam. Those who do not have knowledge of the history, but seek to gain understanding and are open to learning about the challenges and struggles faced by Tamils, are positively impacted by what they learn. This team has showcased how to effectively send a strong message across to the general public through awareness on a daily basis. There is a strong consensus in the idea that to be effective in our search for freedom and justice, we must mobilize together in positive ways that encourage education and understanding. The loudest voice in a room may be heard, but not necessarily understood, and with this rhetoric we must find new outlets for our voice the way the teammates of Eelam United S.C have. If all Tamils were to take this approach, we may find that our message will not only be heard, but will be understood and will inspire others to join our cause for freedom and justice.
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CTYA Tamileelam Challenge Cup 2012 SCARBOROUGH, ON
On September 1st, 2012, the Athletics Council of Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance in partnership with the Canadian Tamil Sports Association had held the 4th Annual Tamileelam Challenge Cup. It was a highly anticipated competition and it attracted many fans. Participating teams had showcased their talent and great team spirits. The fight to win the title and become champions was strong. After a day full of intense matches, the E.N.A. Football Club came out and won the title as the 2012 Tamileelam Challenge Cup Champions.
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UTSC - Nivarana Alaikal 2012 SCARBOROUGH, ON
On August 31st, the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus – Tamil Students Association (UTSC TSA) held their annual charity talent show. Nivarana Alaikal 2012 was a great success and it incorporated many different performances such as a fashion show, dances, and singing. Many people came out to the talent show and showed their support. The talent show is an event hosted in an effort to remember the many lives that were lost in 2004 due to the devastating Tsunami. Every year, a charitable organization that focuses on problems affecting the Tamil community is chosen, and funds collected through the talent show is donated to that respective charity. This year’s funds were donated to the South Asian Autism Awareness Center (SAAC) in order to inform everyone about the implications of Autism. To learn more about SAAAC, please click here: http://saaac.org/
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Fasting for Freedom In Memory of Thileepan Anna TORONTO, ON
On September 26th, the anniversary of Thileepan Anna’s death, Canadian Tamil students commemorated him by “Fasting for Freedom” and raising awareness about Thileepan Anna’s message and the plight of the Tamil people. Information booths were set up and Tamil students highlighted the five demands that Thileepan Anna had stated when he was fasting.
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Transition: A Celebration of Achievements TORONTO, ON
On Friday September 21st, 2012 the Tamil Youth OrganizationCanada hosted its third annual Transition Ceremony. The event was held at the Princess Banquet Hall in Scarborough, Ontario. It was organized in order to teach Tamil-Canadian youth activists about the importance of Tamil Students’ Association (TSAs) across Canada, particularly the role that they play in the struggle to liberate Tamileelam. This year marked the first year that community members were invited to attend the ceremony. The “passing down the torch” ceremony was the pinnacle of the night as each incoming executive team received the national flag of Tamileelam from their outgoing executive team. Members of the Canadian Federation of Students, the largest student group in Canada, attended the event and stood in solidarity with the Tamil community. Executives signed in and out of the “Red Book” to symbolize them starting their term on TSA. In addition to university students,TYO-Canada also invited high school TSA executives to be part of the ceremony.
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Further, members of the Tamil-Canadian community also attended the event to encourage the youth leaders of the current generation. “TSAs were created in order to be the voices for the Tamil liberation movement on respective post-secondary educational institutes. TSAs role on campus and in the community is to push forward the struggle and to continue raising awareness about the just political aspirations of the Tamil community,” said Laxana Paskaran, President of University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Tamil Students Association. “The Tamil Youth Organization is committed to teaching youth about the fundamental principles of our liberation struggle, and we take it upon us to make sure that our youth does not compromise on a separate state solution. The youth today have thrown themselves into the movement and we’re sure to always follow the path of our national leader,Velupillai Pirapaharan,” said Gunesh Siva, a TYO-TSA Coordinator from TYO-Canada.
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D [world youth] Pongu Tamil SWITZERLAND
On September 22nd, more than 3, 500 Tamil people from all across Europe had assembled in Geneva and held a very successful ‘Pongu Tamil’ event. Tamil activists stressed their commitment to upholding the Eelam Tamil people’s struggle for their independent nation. Various lawyers and professionals also attended the event and declared their support to the self-determination of Eelam Tamil people. Thileepan Anna’s loss and heroic efforts were also commemorated at this event.
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E [did you know?]
Enter Lucid Dreaming Taking control of your own dreams Dreams are an insight into the subconscious mind; some forget, many can remember and some can control. Did you know it is possible to be conscious in your dream and even to control your dream? The concept is coined by the term ‘lucid dreaming’ by Dutch psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden.
lucid dreaming is not restricted to a certain viewpoint of the requirement of spiritual beliefs. Lucid dreaming is a natural and healthy experience. Tutorials and videos blogs are just a few of the vast amount of resources that one can refer to in order to indulge their selves into a fantasy world.
When the dreamer is aware that they are in a dream it is considered lucid dreaming. In lucid dreams what is received by one’s senses is as authentic as being awake. During lucid dreams there are an increased number of beta-1 frequencies resulting in an increase in activity in the partial lobes; thus makes the process conscious. With the ability to control the dream one is basically in an environment of virtual reality. The dreamer poses the ability to control to a certain degree their involvement in the dream and manipulate the experiences. Lucid dreams tend to be realistic and very vivid.
Try it yourself:
The degree of lucidity varies with the dream as well; when lucidity levels are high the dreamer is well aware that everything is nonfactual. There are no thoughts of fear when there is high level of lucidity as the dreamer accepts everything is a dream and it will cause no harm to them. However, low level lucidity requires partial awareness during the dream but not enough to impact on the dream. During low level lucidity the dreamer may accept aspects that may not normally be accepted in the real world such as flying pets. In addition, the consciousness may fade into accepting the whole dream as reality.
3. Knowing your Dream Signs
Lucid dreaming is not a new phenomenon; records of lucid dreaming dates back to 1968. Everyone experiences lucid dreams naturally once in a while thus demonstrating that
1. Keep a Dream Journal • Keep a detailed track of your dreams as soon as you wake up 2. Reality Checks • Checking if you are dreaming or not regularly i.e checking if your hands look normal
• Persons, situations or experiences that happen regularly in dreams i.e. teeth falling out, electronics failing, endlessly falling, etc. 4. Learn and Use Techniques • Learn and practice new techniques 5. Use of Supplements (optional) • B6, B12 and apple juice are dream enhancers and increase dream clarity 6. Research @TYOCANADA
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F [face-to-face] Piriyanthica & Pirinda Perazhakan
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT OUR EXPERIENCES, WE THINK
THIS YEAR WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT TAMIL YOUTH ORGANIZATION-
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT STAGES THAT WE HAVE COME ACROSS. AT THIS
CANADA DECIDED TO MAKE ITS TRANSITION EVENT OPEN TO THE
YOUNG AGE,YOU HAVE SHOWN INTEREST IN BEING INVOLVED WITHIN
PUBLIC. IT WAS A GREAT PLEASURE TO HEAR YOU SING AT THE EVENT
THE TAMIL COMMUNITY. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?
BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE YOUR MUSICAL TALENT. WHAT
We got involved with the Tamil community because of our parents and families. Our parents taught us a lot about the problems that are happening in our homeland. Our parents also brought us to protests with them. We are 6 and 7 years old and when we went to the protests, we learned about many of the things that are happening in Tamileelam.
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DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT MUSIC?
When we sing, we are able to show our talent and express our emotions through the Tamil songs. “When words don’t speak, music sings”. This is a very true statement because it shows that through music, we are able to express ourselves. We especially love singing together as sisters because we both love singing and we want to display our talent to people. We also enjoy singing Tamileelam songs because by singing those songs, it shows that we really care for the Tamil people.
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ROLE MODELS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES. PEOPLE
A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MOVING FORWARD IN ANY ASPECT OF
OFTEN LOOK UP TO OTHERS SO THAT THEY COULD GET INSPIRED TO
OUR LIVES IS TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM. AS MEMBERS OF
FOLLOW THEIR OWN DREAMS. WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS? WHY
THE YOUNGER TAMIL GENERATION, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IT IS
DO THEY INSPIRE YOU?
IMPORTANT FOR TAMIL PEOPLE TO REMEMBER AND PROMOTE THE TAMIL LANGUAGE, HISTORY AND CULTURE?
Pirapaharan uncle is our role model. He spoke up for the Tamil people and he wants everyone to remember the Tamil struggle and to protest for Tamileelam. As young Tamil people, we will continue to support Tamileelam. Another role model of ours is our family friend Namanan uncle. He helped many people and he always encouraged us to do the same. He has done so much for Tamil people. Finally, another role model of ours is Thamilselvan uncle because he is a true warrior.
We want our generation to continue to remember our history because it’s important for our Tamil people and also for the warriors to keep our culture alive. We are proud to be Tamil people and we will continue to remember our Tamil culture for our whole lives. We will continue to spread the message and tell the world about the Tamil struggle. We will let the world know about the many Tamil freedom fighters who gave up their lives for our country. WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO HAVE STRONG YOUNGSTERS LIKE YOURSELVES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FUTURE GOALS?
We want to help a lot of people and spread the message of Tamileelam around the world. We also want to be TYO members and help Tamil people.
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H [youth reflections] Remembering Thileepan Anna
It’s amazing to see that even as this is the 25th annual remembrance day of our heroic Thileepan Anna, his commitment and love for the Tamil people is still being commended. It speaks a loud message, one that has proven to be true all throughout history. When people stay strong and focused in terms of whatever it is they aspire to achieve, then those aspirations will become recognized.
wanted to bring light to a cause far greater than one person. He exemplified the need for the Tamil people’s voice to be heard, even if it meant that this message be sent through physical deprivation of some of life’s basic needs.
Thileepan Anna had made a commitment, a choice. To him, the rights and freedoms of Eelam Tamil people was so important that everything else seemed minor in comparison, including his When we try and understand what Thileepan Anna must have own life. had to withstand 25 years ago, it seems unimaginable. The very people who were supposed to help and protect you were the Today, when we look around and see so many of our youth ones who were responsible for your confinement. It’s absurd, getting involved within the Tamil community, it’s not only but it’s the truth. What are you supposed to do under those empowering, but also it’s also a reflection of us keeping our circumstances? The ones that are supposed to care for you responsibility intact. and ensure your wellbeing are putting your entire identity at Though our struggle continues and its forms may change, we risk of being forgotten. will not give up. Our devotion and promise to our people, is Thileepan Anna stands as one of the prime examples of affirmed through this perseverance and belief. Our promise to strength and courage as he defied these disguised conditions our heroes is that they will not be forgotten, and that we will that were trying to be imposed on Eelam Tamil people. take every opportunity to uphold our identity. Thileepan Anna refused to intake any food and water. He
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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.
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
REACH@CANADATYO.ORG
Or visit us at
WWW.CANADATYO.ORG
REACH Team Editor Tharchini. V Designer Shiyamdev. S
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