TAMIL DEMOGRAPHICS:
NEW ETHNIC FACTOR IN CANADIAN POLITICS!

By Aloy Perera
( a freelance writer based in Toronto)

The 300,000 strong Sri Lankan - Canadian Tamil Community - strategically spread in constituencies in Scarborough, Mississauga and Brampton - is fast becoming a demographic factor that politicians in the Greater Toronto area in Ontario and Greater Montreal, Quebec may not ignore any longer. Tamil Community has prospered and it stands to the credit of the Sri Lankan Tamil Community that hard working Tamil entrepreneurs have launched more than 3000 thousand business establishments that contribute to Canada's wealth and provide employment for thousands and Tamil young men and women have excelled in academics and have taken their due place in the Canadian mainstream, in industry, commerce and in academic establishments. While politicians vie with one another to woo the Tamil voters, LTTE (which is proscribed/ banned in Canada) through its agents under a façade of community organizations powerfully aided by churchmen, are attempting to take credit and claim community leadership under the pretence of protecting and safeguarding the Tamil Heritage and values. However, there's no indication that Tamils are buying into the LTTE myth. In fact young and up coming generation of Tamils are challenging the old LTTE surrogates who are hard pressed (after the LTTE ban) to device new ways and means to discover some leverage point that will work to their advantage having failed in their attempts to beat the Community into submission or make the youths of the community to look up to them as role models in winning the hearts of the Tamil heartland in Canada! Canada's ban on the LTTE has drastically limited their operations here. The days of the LTTE iron grip on the Tamil Community which it used to brow beating Tamil businessmen and others to quietism and obedience, are no more!

Recently, a LTTE apologist under the pretence of being a spokesperson for the Tamil Community wrote in the national press of the non existent 'trials and tribulations' of
The Canadian Tamil Community resulting from the proscription of the LTTE. Here's a reply that I wrote that did not find much favor with the National Press:

Sri B. Sri-Skanda-Rajah (Toronto Star Nov. 3rd Community Editorial Board) in tongue in cheek style of Eelam (LTTE) propagandists has listed a long litany of grievances and tribulations purporting to speak on behalf of the Tamil community in Canada. He distorts and he's wrong on all counts. His confusion as to the rationale and the logic behind Canada's ultimate decisive action of proscribing the LTTE, I am afraid is not shared by the rest of the Canadians and Tamils in Canada. Action that has been long overdue!

Facts bear out loud and clear that LTTE agents in Canada have so far siphoned off millions of ill gotten dollars belonging to Canadian tax payers through devious methods and shady transactions exploiting and abusing the largess of the local, Provincial and Federal governments in Canada and through extortion and threats out of the pockets of ordinary Tamils living in Canada, for the purpose of buying arms and explosives to sustain one of the most virulent, brutal and dastardly terrorist organizations, the LTTE, whose objective is to break up the Sri Lankan nation of which Tamils are an integral component for the sake of a pipe dream of a sovereign Eelam. These monies have also helped to the aggrandizement of the seigniorial Supremo Velupillai Pirabakaran the most blood stained of any time in Sri Lanka's history and his kith and kin - giving his wife and children the cozy comforts of the high society in London and for himself, access to amenities of a Maha Rajah! Believe you me, my dear Tamil brothers and sisters! He does not suffer for you! His star emanates the final glow before the fading! So do not be deceived! To others terrorism has become a profession, an easy means of livelihood!

In an unimaginably statesmanly gesture by the President of Sri Lanka, there's an invitation awaiting this barbaric empire builder Pirabakaran providing him with but one last opportunity to salvage himself! If he makes use of the opportunity with sincerity an attitudinal change leading to a total moral transformation with positive results beyond the ordinary is possible. Within such a framework self-government for the Tamil areas within Sri Lanka too would be possible! Sinhalese I am sure will be receptive to such a sharing which comes with dignity and self-respect ensured or guaranteed!

To understand the true nature of the warlords of Wanni one must abandon one of the most general and most widespread misconceptions in this part of the world that LTTE stands for broadmindedness and a humanistic set of values consonant with human rights consulting the general interest of the Tamil populace adopting principles of good government in the Tamil areas. This line of thinking has been pervasive among LTTE propagandists and Canadian apologists as a selling point to spread separatism and gain respect for the ideal.

(Wanni is a parcel of land which is smaller than the GTA-York-Halton Peel- Hamilton Wentworth regions put together, the 'hide out' of their supremo Pirabakaran and his assistant Thamil Chelvam - of course, Anton Balasingham their strategist in the U.K. included -, where they hold sway, thanks to the largess of the Sri Lankan Government which some call stupidity and the internationalization of the issueless 'Tamil Issue", holding the entire nation of Sri Lanka to ransom.)

They played this theme in the international arena and repeated it a million times and their psychic wizardry of intellectual propaganda aided and abetted by the powerful Catholic, Anglican, United and other Christian organizations who always have a ready supply of surrogate 'bellyacher' preachers who would do the dirty work of lobbying for the murderous LTTE won over Paul Martin's Liberals and other credulous Scandinavian nations and even infiltrated the U.S. Congress and the United Nations in blowing out of proportion a problem that could easily have been resolved locally (can still be resolved if only the International Community takes pains to understand the issues involved be available for help if only asked! And not as decision making dictators!) with attitudinal changes and some give and take on both sides. Neither the Sinhalese nor the Tamils have given any serious thought to this all important question upon which a workable paradigm can be constructed!

In Canada, particularly in Ontario, the LTTE propagandists craftily dangled the carrot of the 300,000 strong Tamil Community, a community which did not belong to the LTTE - - all voters and potential voters who could make dent in national politics! A great and inviting temptation which makes it impossible for the desperate politician to turn away from! So, Liberals did fall hook, line and sinker letting the LTTE criminals exploit the Tamil community and conduct their illegal transactions with impunity. Now after its ban, realizing that its grip on the Tamil community is fast slipping away both in Sri Lanka and abroad, the LTTE has resorted to a new and a pathetic game of playing the role of the persecuted martyr begging self pity!. Sri-Skanda-Rajah's article is ample proof! Sri-Skanda-Rajah included, apologists for the LTTE, are past masters in the art of trimming their sails to the wind! With their strategists here, some of them renegade priests, intra or ex their Church organizations are busy overtime in finding solutions to the LTTE ban in Canada. There'll be more propaganda coming your way! Be ware!

There's only one single statement in Sri-Skanda-Rajah's long painful rigmarole of self-inflicted martyrdom that can be construed as a true and accurate statement! That is, "Tamils are by nature enterprising and hardworking and they invest heavily on education. They have swelled the professional and business ranks demonstrating a commitment to Canada's growth and prosperity" Cheers! To our dear Tamil brothers, sisters and Tamil children in Canada who do proud to Canada and their Sri Lankan nation! His statement would have been even more to the point if the writer had added to the end of the above quotation of his the following: "…in spite of thirteen years of intense and vicious Eelam activity, propaganda, threats and intimidation by the LTTE!"

If Tamils in Canada are so deliberately and calculatedly marginalized such feats of excellence by the Canadian Tamil community of today that Sri-Skanda-Rajah hints at would not have been possible!

Even when thousands of Tamils - among them many criminals and jailbirds (an issue Canada must in fairness review and further investigate and take corrective action for the sake of the Canadian Tamil community) -, came to Canada's shores claiming refugee status, Canada compassionately embraced one and all relaxing a stringent immigration policy the country had followed until then. There's no evidence that Tamils are being marginalized today other than the general marginalization that all newly arrived immigrants are subject to. If anything at all, Tamils feel that they are privileged to be free to pursue their life goals for themselves and for their children free from anxieties of terrorism and war!

On the other hand if Sri-Skanda-Rajah is referring to the LTTE or its agents operating in Canada who are perceived by him to be marginalized, or who are annoyed that they cannot carry on their criminal activities as in the past 'marginalization' is the wrong word to use! Perhaps, he should have substituted the word 'annoyance' or 'prosecution' as it fits the proscribed status of the LTTE. And prosecute Canada must, any infraction relating to the ban with no apology or compunction to eliminate all LTTE activities in Canada!

However, the reality is something quite different. In view of mounting evidence of continuing, direct illegal activities of money laundering, extortions, Sunday Church Collections and intimidation and threats to unsuspecting Tamils/ Tamil businessmen in big City Centres that LTTE pursues with impunity in Canada mainly through Church related agencies (of the Catholic Church and other Christian organizations or NGOs), the so called 'proscription'/ 'ban' has become a dead letter and proscription procedures do not seem to be pursued with any vigor or enthusiasm) Law abiding citizens in Canada would require their law enforcement authorities hound and ferret out these LTTE terrorists irrespective of who they are clerics or lay people, with the fervor of the Al-Qaeda hunters.

LTTE activists in Canada who found among defeated Federal Liberals' big wigs many friends whom LTTE entertained in posh five star hotels across the world and showered with graft and gifts for years with the promise of a Canadian Tamil block vote in some of the GTA constituencies. The liberals literally looked the other way while LTTE operators in Canada flouted the country's law. Today, the LTTE propagandists here stand lost and bewildered and at their wits' end having failed in their latest attempts to woo the Harper government or get the LTTE ban lifted.

Canadians are amazingly well informed and Ottawa hardly needs any education about LTTE terrorists who 'unflinchingly', to borrow the writers own adverb, carry out massacres of against unarmed fellow civilian Tamils and against unsuspecting civilian Sinhalese. One does not need a Sri Sri-Skanda-Rajah, obviously a LTTE apologist, to give lessons on Human Rights Abuse when LTTE tops the list of such abuses and crimes against humanity such as enlistment of child soldiers and luring teenagers, Tamil boys and girls in pubescence into enslavement and seduction, Decapitating or slaying of Tamil and Sinhala intellectual elite and leadership in cold blood. These facts have been substantiated by respected Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International and other human rights advocates around the globe. And Tamils in Canada know it.

Sri-Skanda-Rajah is not telling the truth when he asserts that 'most Tamils consider LTTE members to be freedom fighters and heroes'. Clearly that's not what one encounters around here in the streets of Toronto where Tamils frequently gather. For them LTTE Supremo Pirabakaran and his cohorts are but a rag tag rabble of terrorists whose hands are stained with the blood of their Tamil compatriots and children of the Tamil race.

If anyone should be dragged before the world tribunal for the crime of genocide, it's the Chief of Terrorists, Pirabakaran himself! He has half destroyed the once proud Tamils of Sri Lanka rendering them a mush of humanity stationery, immobile, passive, numbed and vulnerable. But Pirabakaran cannot keep them down for long. He has been and he is being challenged. Truth is that LTTE is looked upon by the Tamils for what they are, simply terrorists and cowards who have up until now kept the Canadian Tamil community under its iron grip through threats and intimidation. When 4,000 or 30,000 gather in Ottawa or Toronto none should be surprised because it's all manipulated and managed playing the same old game of intimidation and veiled threats, thus indicating that the devious terrorist LTTE is still alive and kicking in Toronto despite the ban.

Harper government must take serious note of this boast! That's why Ottawa needs to put teeth into its ban on the LTTE with more proactive assurances to the flourishing Tamil community in Canada to challenge the false claims made by the LTTE. Will the Harper Government be principled enough to say no to the LTTE surrogates in the Canadian bureaucracy and in the political arena and reject their claim that the Tamils of Toronto are in its pockets to be traded like stock shares?

Typical Eelam propagandist style, Sri-Skanda-Rajah distorts historical facts. The Portuguese or the Dutch never colonized or had control of the entire country. Yes, erstwhile English did ultimately control the entire nation. The English did not abandon the Tamils as Sri-Skanda Rajah alleges! On the contrary, the English pursuing their infamous divide and rule policy served well to ensure for Tamils and other minorities a perpetual stranglehold on the economic, educational clout at the expense of the majority Sinhala Buddhist people who comprise 75% of the nation as opposed to today's 12.5% of Tamils, 6.5 percent Christians and 7 % Moslems. Since Independence, the nation has been trying to correct the inequalities created by Westminster.

There's something that fellows like Sri-Skanda-Rajah who are brazen enough to rewrite history for Canadian consumption should keep in mind. That irrespective of who came first, irrespective of the nebulous origins of Sri Lanka's early inhabitants, there's clear historical evidence that a nation complete with all the attributes of nationhood came into being circa 542 BCE and launched its forward march as a sovereign nation in which polity minority Tamils eventually became an integral part. Chola and Magha (Dravidians) invasions were indeed set backs on the fledgling nation. It is interesting to note that even Chola Dynasty records extant in South India have detailed accounts of these events attesting to the existence of one indivisible country called Lanka or Sinhaladvipa or Eelam interchangeably.

I agree that war and confrontation need not be the answer to Sri Lanka's ethnic issue. But one may argue with equal enthusiasm, a hollow and meaningless peace is not a solution either. A peace with honor for both sides can only come with changes in attitudes begun with honesty and sincerity of purpose. Neither the LTTE nor the Sri Lankan polity seems ready to accomplish that essential change as a prelude to discussions/disputations. Without this essential ingredient the so called 'peace talks' are bound to flounder on a craggy shore!

What's happening in Sri Lanka today is indeed a tragedy. LTTE's false claim of 'territorial rights', and its intransigence in continuing to hold fast to an impractical notion and its reliance on arms have created an atmosphere of war to the great inconvenience of Sri Lankan Tamils, Moslems and Sinhalese living in their homesteads in the North and the East of Sri Lanka. What they want is their motherland to be freed from the separatist LTTE menace.