CANADIAN STATEMENT ON THE FORCED
REMOVAL OF TAMILS FROM THE SRI LANKAN CAPITAL
Jaliya Wickremarachchi
CSLAT
Canadian Sri Lankans Against Terrorism
4981, Hwy.7 East
Markham, ON L3R 1N1, Canada.
Her Excellency, Ms Angela Bogdan
The High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka
The High Commission of Canada
6 Gregory's Road, Cinnamon Gardens
Colombo 07, Sri Lanka
Your Excellency:
We have noticed that Canada is one of the first countries to condemn
the recent action of removal of the potential terrorists of Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) from
the capital of Colombo. (Please see below.)
It is rather unfortunate that the GOSL has to undertake such drastic
actions, mainly due to the severe bomb threats to the capital by the
LTTE terrorists. While we certainly agree that every citizen, regardless
of his or her ethnicity, has the absolute right to live where ever they
choose to, we also feel that the Sri Lankan government has every right
to protect its citizens from the potential terrorist attacks by the
LTTE. That includes rounding off the potential terrorists who can pose
a threat to the national security.
This is certainly no where near the draconian measures Canada had taken
against its Japanese-Canadian citizens during the world war II, by rounding
off all the Canadians of Japanese decent and sending them off to prison
camps, denying their constitutional rights, even though there was not
a single threat to Canada by these innocent citizens. To its credit,
the government of Sri Lanka has never treated its Tamil citizens with
such inhumane, blatant racism that the Japanese-Canadians have been
subjected to in Canada.
It is also worth noticing that the GOSL realizing the hardships that
caused to its citizens, apologized immediately, and took full responsibility
for its actions by bringing back the citizens who have been displaced.
As a matter of fact, Canada and the other human right champions must
commend Sri Lanka for taking full responsibility, and steps to correct
its actions quickly - while it took Canada almost over 50 years even
to admit the wrong doing (let alone apologizing..), to its citizens
of the Japanese decent .
It is ironic that Canada has to preach Sri Lanka about the violation
of human rights, and heavy-handedness of its Forces, while Canadian
Forces along with NATO counterparts are violating human-rights of the
innocents in Afghanistan on daily basis - in the name of "War on
Terror", even though there is not a single threat to Canada from
any Afghan... There are many reports recently, condemning the conduct
of the Canadian defence officials, especially for turning a blind eye
to the human right violations of Afghan prisoners by the Afghan war
lords, who are loyal to the Canadian and other NATO forces. It seems
Canada is certainly not in a position to dictate the human rights to
others, when in fact its own forces are violating the same rights in
Afghanistan....
On the other hand, a democratic country like Sri Lanka, and its Forces,
which have been fighting vicious Tiger Terrorism for the past 25 years,
under tremendous difficulties, must be given full support by Canada
for taking every possible effort to protect all its citizens, including
Tamils from the Tiger terrorism, which is a major threat to the peace
and security of the entire country.. By the way, where is the Canadian
outrage when the LTTE terrorists are conducting the actual "Ethnic
Cleansing" of the Muslims and the Sinhalese in the Northern and
the Eastern parts of Sri Lanka...?
It is a shame that Canada is eager to condemn the action of a democratic
country that is trying harder to protect its citizens from terrorism,
while painfully slow to admit or condemn blatant human rights violations
by the Tamil Tiger terrorists.
Why there is such double-standard by Canada towards Sri Lanka, where
alleged human right violations is no where near the scale of that is
happening in Iraq, or Afghanistan by the NATO forces, which includes
Canadian Forces as well...??
It never ceases to amaze us the hypocrisy of the West, which is quick
to slam the developing countries like Sri Lanka for alleged abuse of
human rights, when in reality its the Western nations that are the biggest
human right violators - in the name of fighting terror and preserving
freedom, in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sincerely
Jaliya Wickremarachchi
CSLAT
Canadian Sri Lankans Against Terrorism
4981, Hwy.7 East
Markham, ON L3R 1N1, Canada.
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