Support for Israeli attack on Gaza and ‘Himalayan Declaration’ cause turmoil among Tamils in Canada

Over 300 constituents flay Anandasangaree for supporting genocide

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A group of Canadians of Sri Lankan origin has recently questioned Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree (Liberal Party) over his continuing silence regarding Canadian support for indiscriminate Israeli offensive against Palestinians.

Anandasangaree represents Scarborough—Rouge Park, Ontario and is the second Canadian Minister of Tamil origin, along with Anita Anand (Liberal Party).

On behalf of 300 constituents, a Canadian of Sri Lankan Tamil origin confronted Anandasangaree when he was about to deliver a talk to celebrate Tamil Heritage month.

Alleging that MP Anandasangaree hadn’t even responded to a letter delivered by them, in last year, requesting him to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Canadian Tamil pointed out the Canadian culpability in the genocide perpetrated by the Jewish state. She urged Minister Anandasangaree to follow fellow Liberal Party lawmaker Salma Zahid (Scarborough Centre) in that regard.

The Tamil community having suffered untold hardships, during the Sri Lanka

conflict, couldn’t, under any circumstances, remain silent over what was going on in Gaza, the woman declared. She pointed out the duplicity in the Canadian stand vis-a-vis Gaza, having declared May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.

Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau’s Office on May 18, 2023 quoted the Canadian leader as having said: “In October 2022, we joined our international partners in adopting a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution that calls on the Sri Lankan government to address the human rights, economic, and political crises in the country. Canada has been a global leader in the adoption of other UNHRC resolutions calling for freedom of religion, belief, and pluralism in Sri Lanka – essential elements to secure peace and reconciliation in the years to come – and we will continue our work to safeguard human rights across the world. And in January 2023, our government imposed sanctions against four Sri Lankan government officials in response to human rights violations on the island.”

Declaring that there should be an immediate arms embargo, the voter emphasized the responsibility on Anandasangaree’s part to pressure Canada to end her complicity in Israeli occupation and genocide during the past two months. She reminded the lawmaker over 20,000 Palestinians, including over 10,000 children, had been killed while pointing out Ottawa sent over 21 mn dollars’ worth military exports to Israel in 2022 alone Accusing Canada of providing Israel with diplomatic cover as well as material support, the Canadian, of Sri Lankan origin, said that their action caused genocide and, therefore, tangible measures should be taken to stop this.

When Minister Anandasangaree tried to side-step the questions, the woman demanded a proper explanation. She insisted that the Minister couldn’t turn a blind eye to genocide taking place in Gaza.

Meanwhile, another controversy has erupted within the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Canada over former President of the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) Raj Thavaratnasingham joining a delegation that recently met former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo.

Tamil sources told The Island that some found fault with Thavaratnasingham for meeting SLPP leader Rajapaksa in spite of Canadian sanctions on him and his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with two others, over alleged war crimes.

Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry sources pointed out that the CTC recently declared its intention to move court against the National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT) and its spokesperson over what it called false statements meant to cause harm to CTC’s reputation.

Canada-based sources said that there hadn’t been a previous instance of influential and wealthy Canadian Diaspora groups clashing over their policy towards Sri Lanka.

Sources said that the NCCT had been troubled by the CTC’s backing for Global Tamil Forum (GTF) effort to engage in a fresh reconciliation process with Sri Lanka as it could undermine its high profile bid to haul Sri Lanka up before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Responding to The Island query, an authoritative government official said that the continuing clash between the CTC and NCCT was due to the difference of opinion over post-war reconciliation process. The CTC, along with the GTF, declared their readiness for a meaningful political dialogue with Sri Lanka and the Himalayan Declaration was a result of that, whereas the NCCT still believed in an international intervention here.

Sources explained that the NCCT had been distraught by the US and others throwing their weight behind the GTF spearheaded initiative and the Sri Lankan government moving fast on the reconciliation process. Having enacted several laws since the 2015 co-sponsorship of the Geneva Resolution, the government was now on the verge of establishing an independent commission for truth, unity and reconciliation by way of an Act in Parliament, sources said, adding that that development could facilitate the reconciliation process.

“We should wait for the TNA’s reaction to the developments taking place,” another official said, adding that though many considered newly elected TNA leader Sritharan Sivagnanam (Jaffna District MP) a hardliner he could review his position. Sritharan succeeded veteran politician R. Sampanthan who led the party during a turbulent period during which he was forced to recognize the LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamil speaking people, the official said.