Box 55292, 300 Borough
Drive, Toronto, Ontario M1P 4Z7 Canada
Website: www.sluna.org
E-mail: sluna@idirect.com
MEDIA
RELEASE
April 10, 2006
CANADA OUTLAWS TAMIL TIGER
TERRORISTS UNDER ANTI-TERRORISM ACT
We applaud the decision
taken by the new Conservative Government of Canada to outlaw the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a UN designated international terrorist group, in
terms of Canada’s Anti-Terrorism Act, and restore this country’s dignity and
integrity. In this connection, it
is our duty to point out that the previous Governments shamelessly avoided
taking these identical steps recommended by the Canadian Security Intelligence
Services for the pottage of some electoral votes bartered from the Tamil Tiger
front organizations in the Toronto area for purely partisan political
reasons.
These measures will make it
illegal for persons to participate in activities aimed at glorifying terrorism
of the Tamil Tigers such as ‘ Black Tiger Day’ to pay respects to suicide
bombers, and ‘Tiger Heroes Day’, which were even patronized by Liberal Party and
NDP politicians. It would further
impose severe penalties against those extending financial support towards their
terrorist war chest. We would like
to recall that Justice Joseph Robertson of the Federal Court earlier ruled in
the deportation case against Suresh Manickawasagar, former President of the
World Tamil Movement who was found guilty of fundraising for the LTTE, that
every individual who contributed to this terrorist movement was equally guilty
of the crimes committed by the Tamil Tiger Terrorists.
The track record of the
Tamil Tigers is a cruel saga of intimidation, extortion, murder of dissidents,
abduction and forced conscription of children and adults, ethnic cleansing,
obstructing and preventing citizens from exercising their fundamental rights
including the right to vote at elections, assassination of leaders of all
communities including two heads of state, unleashing of 243 suicide bomb attacks
mainly against civilian targets, and further destruction of valuable property in
Sri Lanka, lasting over two decades.
The Human Rights Watch
organization of New York in their report of March 15, 2006, spoke of the
extortion of the Tamil Diaspora resident in Canada and other western countries
to fund the final phase of the war of separation by the Tamil Tigers. Amnesty International too published a
report on February 1, 2006, mainly blaming the LTTE and its breakaway group for
the killings and climate of fear in the eastern parts of Sri Lanka. UNICEF has reported on the abduction and
recruitment of over 5,000 children since the start of the ceasefire agreement in
February 2002 based on complaints received, whilst admitting that the actual
number could be much higher as many families fear to register complaints against
the Tamil Tigers.
We would like to remind
Canadians that it has been verified that $7.2 million was transferred by Tiger
fronts in Canada to purchase 10 tons of RDX and 50 tons of high explosives from
the Ukraine (Macleans of August 5, 1996), which was used in the truck bombing of
the Central Bank Building in Colombo on the 31st of January 1996,
killing 114 and maiming 1400 others.
These explosives have also been used subsequently in suicide attacks
killing leaders and innocent civilians by bombing trains and buses during the
rush hour.
It has been estimated that
almost one-third of the Tamil Tigers War Chest ranging from $22-40 million was
being raised in Canada each year. Any dent in this funding will go to save lives
of innocent civilians from the Sinhala and Muslim communities and other Tamils
opposed to the LTTE in Sri Lanka’s north and east, living under constant threat
of attack by the ruthless tigers.
The act of outlawing the Tamil Tigers will help to pressure this lawless
outfit to re-think their terrorist strategy, and for once, negotiate in good
faith to resolve the ongoing conflict.
All Canadians would now be able to hold their heads high, as steps have
been taken in the right direction to prevent the flow of Canadian funds for
Tamil Tiger terrorism in Sri Lanka.
Mahinda Gunasekera (Honorary
President)
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