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| On June 12 Tamil Canadians gathered at the Scarborough Albert Campbell square to urge the International community to accept an independent Tamil state. |
More than 10,000 Tamil Canadians gathered at the Scarborough Albert Campbell square to urge the International community to accept an independent Tamil state through Tamil people’s right to self determination applicable under International law.
Traffic in major roads came to a standstill in Scarborough as thousands of men, women, children and elderly flocked to the streets to converge on the Albert Campbell Square in Scarborough to voice their solidarity with their brothers and sisters to win back their rights in Sri Lanka.
The square reached the maximum capacity when it began and therefore crowd started to gather around the Civic Center area and the adjacent buildings.
Participants were holding placards displaying the messages “Recognise Tamil Nation”, “Isolate Sri Lanka” and “Prevent another Dafur”.
“Our Leaders have signed more than 12 pacts and treaties with the Sri Lankan Political Parties within the last 60 years, only to be torn by them as soon they were signed.” Said Sujani Krishnalingam, a student leader from the University of Toronto
“The Government of Sri Lanka is not willing to listen to the International community but bent on violating all human right codes of the UN including reprehensible human right abuses, indiscriminate bombardment, killing of International Humanitarian workers, starvation by embargo, disappearances and extra judicial killings. The International Community has an obligation to provide fundamental security to the Tamil people from a failed and corrupt state,” she added.
The rally had to be closed one hour ahead of schedule, as it had exceeded its capacity of the venue and the organizers had to ensure that the large number present would not overcrowd the Public Transit system and the adjoining major shopping centre.
Number of federal and local parliamentarians, union leaders and human rights activists addressed the rally including the Leader of the Provincial NDP Howard Hampton, Hon. Jim Karygiannis MP for Scarborough-Agincourt, Brad Duguid, MPP for Scarborough-Centre and Raymond Cho, Toronto City Councillor. Tim Dobson, Chuck Konkel and George Khourie of the Conservative Party of Canada also spoke.
Hon. Jim Jim Kariyanis speaking at the gathering blasted the Canadian federal government’s inaction on Sri Lanka and proscribing the Tamil Rebels while they were participating in negotiations.
Hon. Judy Sgro spoke to crowd on telephone from the Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In today’s session in Parliament Judy Sgro urged that “It is time for the Canadian government to step up and take on a leadership role in finding a resolution to this conflict once and for all.”
According to organizers many speakers including Hon. Albina Guarnieri Liberal MP for Mississauga East - Cooksville, Hon. Dan McTeague Liberal MP for Scarborough East-Pickering, Mark Holland Liberal MP for Ajax-Pickering and Derek Lee Liberal MP for Scarborough-Rouge River could not be accommodated due to time constraints.
