Hundreds of Tamils protest in Toronto Special

Saturday marked the 178th day since demonstrations began in front of the United States Consulate in Toronto and also the 150th day since displacement camps for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka started. Hundreds of protesters walked the streets of Toronto.

Since the the middle of spring this year, the Tamil people have protested in front of the United States Consulate in downtown Toronto to show their strong disapproval of the displacement camps for Tamils in Sri Lanka and demonstrators are trying to press the international community to take action in a “peaceful, democratic way.” Hundreds of protesters took the streets of downtown Toronto to bring this important issue to the Canadian public, media and government officials because, according to one determined individual, “the displacement camps are worse than the Nazi concentration camps during World War II.” Supporters of the cause handed out flyers and petitions to people who walked by the demonstration. By the end of the day, 1000 people had signed the petition. Many told Digital Journal that a large number of Canadians have been “supportive” of the initiative put forth by Tamils in Canada and throughout the globe. However, one individual began to verbally attack one young gentleman but, nevertheless, the events were quite peaceful and organized as policemen patrolled the area.

Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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Chants of “No more – Concentration Camps!” could be heard at the corner of University and Queen as Ananth Magesh used his bullhorn to relay his message with his fellow proponents of ending the camps in Sri Lanka. Signs reading “The silence is killing in Sri Lanka” and “Recognize Tamils Right to Self-Determination” were plastered all over the sidewalk.

Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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Last week, Digital Journal interviewed Magesh in front of the US Consulate and gave a general background of the issue but this week hundreds of other demonstrators handed out informative booklets that provided the history of the Tamil people and the region, “Both Tamils in the North and East and the Sinhalese in the South have lived on the island [Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon, Eelam, Serendip, Ilankai) for over 2,000 years,” reads one statement in a booklet titled “The Tear Island.” Horrid images could be seen on the sidewalks along University Avenue of Tamils bleeding to death, children dying of starvation and posters demanding that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton take the necessary actions immediately.

Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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In a press release e-mailed to Digital Journal on Friday, it states that Tamils in these camps are not given the proper medical treatment, improper hygiene and lack of food and water. One lady at the rally went as far as saying that it’s “impossible to commit suicide” in the camps. On a table at the demonstration, a crafted prison with dead bodies lying around was standing there with a sign behind it with the words, “One day this will happen... When no one speaks out, there will be no one to speak for! Illustrates what the Sri Lankan Concentration Camps will soon be, without world intervention!”

Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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At the present time, at least 300,000 Tamil men, women and children are in these “death camps” and, according to the press release from the United Kingdom Times, “1400 civilians are dying every week in these barbed wire interned camps.” Digital Journal asked many Tamils if they would support either any international military action or a coup d’état attempt and they all were against any such action because “the Singhalese are people too and that would mean more people will die.” One protester further stated, “We just want a peaceful and democratic solution to this growing devastation because I believe in peaceful democracy. We just want to live in peace because we’re a self-determined people.”

Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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The day before the rally, Canadian Members of Parliament were denied entry into Sri Lanka, according to CHRV News. Patrick Brown of Barrie and Paul Calandra of Oakridges Markham were denied visas to visit the country, which has generally raised concerns of many Tamil-Canadians and MPs of what the Sri Lankan government is hiding in these camps. Brown, a Conservative MP, said he was disappointed and thinks this is one of the many reasons to believe that the “Sri Lanka is hiding something.” “I think it’s incredibly suspicious and it leads me to believe… that there are breaches of international obligation, breaches of human rights and there are deplorable conditions.” Nevertheless, Tamil-Canadians will continue to protest and demonstrate in Toronto and around the world if the international community fails to press the Sri Lankan government of ending the displacement camps. “We will always be here,” exclaimed one lady at the demonstration. Another rally will be held on Friday November 13, 2009, which will be even larger with double the number of people and will last from early afternoon to late in the evening. However, demonstrations occur every day at 360 University Avenue.

Andrew Moran

As the growing public becomes aware of the conditions of the Tamil displacement camps in Sri Lanka, more are protesting and demanding the international community take proper action.

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