Friday, October 01, 2004
Canada-Sri Lanka relations troubled by festival
Damitha Hemachandra
25 September 2004
The Decision of the Canadian government to grant conditional permission to the pro-LTTE cultural festival Pongu-Thamil scheduled for September 25 in Toronto raised heavy protest from Sri Lankan as well as International organisations.
The Advisor to Ministry of Hindu Affairs, Dr. K. Wigneshwaran, accused the Tamil Student Association and other Tamil groups in Canada organising the Pongu-Thamil rally of glorifying terrorism and engaging in fundraising for LTTE. “Funds raised at Pongu-Thamil festivals held around the world are being used to kill not only Sinhala and Muslims but also Tamils in Sri Lanka,” he pointed out, referring to the recent killing of a senior member of the pro-government Tamil party EPDP.
“They don’t know the real situation in Sri Lanka,” he said, challenging the Tamil groups in Canada to come and spend a day in Wanni. “ What they should be doing is helping the country reach a political solution and to develop the economy and infrastructure in North And East,” Dr. Wigneshwaran said.
Spokesman for National Bikkhu Conference (NBC), Galagodatte Knanasara Thera, said that the NBC and National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT) would seek to stage their protest through stronger means, such as a Fast-unto-death campaign, against the pro-LTTE activities of the Canadian and Norway governments. “We have already requested the Norway embassy and the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to state their stand on the continuous killings committed by LTTE,” Thera said, adding that Sanga Sammelanaya and NMAT would launch a mass scale agitation programme if a suitable reply was not forthcoming.
In Toronto, the LTTE planned to raise nearly $200,000 at the event but has now changed its stance by proposing that Tamil community groups raise funds independently and “donate” them at the festival to evade restrictions on the sale of pro- LTTE material.
25 September 2004
The Decision of the Canadian government to grant conditional permission to the pro-LTTE cultural festival Pongu-Thamil scheduled for September 25 in Toronto raised heavy protest from Sri Lankan as well as International organisations.
The Advisor to Ministry of Hindu Affairs, Dr. K. Wigneshwaran, accused the Tamil Student Association and other Tamil groups in Canada organising the Pongu-Thamil rally of glorifying terrorism and engaging in fundraising for LTTE. “Funds raised at Pongu-Thamil festivals held around the world are being used to kill not only Sinhala and Muslims but also Tamils in Sri Lanka,” he pointed out, referring to the recent killing of a senior member of the pro-government Tamil party EPDP.
“They don’t know the real situation in Sri Lanka,” he said, challenging the Tamil groups in Canada to come and spend a day in Wanni. “ What they should be doing is helping the country reach a political solution and to develop the economy and infrastructure in North And East,” Dr. Wigneshwaran said.
Spokesman for National Bikkhu Conference (NBC), Galagodatte Knanasara Thera, said that the NBC and National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT) would seek to stage their protest through stronger means, such as a Fast-unto-death campaign, against the pro-LTTE activities of the Canadian and Norway governments. “We have already requested the Norway embassy and the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to state their stand on the continuous killings committed by LTTE,” Thera said, adding that Sanga Sammelanaya and NMAT would launch a mass scale agitation programme if a suitable reply was not forthcoming.
In Toronto, the LTTE planned to raise nearly $200,000 at the event but has now changed its stance by proposing that Tamil community groups raise funds independently and “donate” them at the festival to evade restrictions on the sale of pro- LTTE material.
JHU protests cost of living and LTTE actions
Will support extreme measures, says leader
By Damitha Hemachandra
The Jatika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday protested the government's inability to arrest the rising Cost of Living and its failure to respond to the LTTE's violence unleashed on civilians in the North and East, at a protest held at Battaramulla.
JHU leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera said they had already sent a letter to the President demanding immediate action to bring down the Cost of Living and rising fuel prices.
"We feel that the government is not doing enough to bring down the escalating prices of essential items and fuel," he said adding that the UPFA government had failed to keep its election pledge to make living easy for the people.
Commenting on the government's failure to stop the LTTE hostility in the North and the East and the killing of political opponents, the Thera pointed out that the government should take immediate steps against the murders and crimes.
"The JHU had been briefing foreign missions of the LTTE atrocities, including the kidnapping of the two home guards," he said, adding that the government was spinelessly refusing to take immediate action.
The Ven. Thera pointed out that the arrest of the ten LTTE members, whose release the LTTE was demanding in return was made since they were violating the law and the Ceasefire Agreement.
"Yet, these home guards were virtually kidnapped from their posts and the government and the Norwegian Monitoring Mission is turning a blind eye to these atrocities," Ven. Medhananda Thera accused.
During his visit to Trincomalee on Wednesday, the Ven. Thera pledged the JHU's fullest support on any path taken by the North-East Sinhala Organization to liberate the North and East from the clutches of the LTTE.
"We have no other alternative but to take extreme action since the government is refusing to defend its own citizens," he said.
Meanwhile the signature campaign of the JHU against the 'prejudiced activities of the Norwegian peace Mission' had reached its one million target.
"We have extended the target to five million," the Ven. Thera said adding that the JHU would be taking the campaign against Norwegians to international levels.
By Damitha Hemachandra
The Jatika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday protested the government's inability to arrest the rising Cost of Living and its failure to respond to the LTTE's violence unleashed on civilians in the North and East, at a protest held at Battaramulla.
JHU leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera said they had already sent a letter to the President demanding immediate action to bring down the Cost of Living and rising fuel prices.
"We feel that the government is not doing enough to bring down the escalating prices of essential items and fuel," he said adding that the UPFA government had failed to keep its election pledge to make living easy for the people.
Commenting on the government's failure to stop the LTTE hostility in the North and the East and the killing of political opponents, the Thera pointed out that the government should take immediate steps against the murders and crimes.
"The JHU had been briefing foreign missions of the LTTE atrocities, including the kidnapping of the two home guards," he said, adding that the government was spinelessly refusing to take immediate action.
The Ven. Thera pointed out that the arrest of the ten LTTE members, whose release the LTTE was demanding in return was made since they were violating the law and the Ceasefire Agreement.
"Yet, these home guards were virtually kidnapped from their posts and the government and the Norwegian Monitoring Mission is turning a blind eye to these atrocities," Ven. Medhananda Thera accused.
During his visit to Trincomalee on Wednesday, the Ven. Thera pledged the JHU's fullest support on any path taken by the North-East Sinhala Organization to liberate the North and East from the clutches of the LTTE.
"We have no other alternative but to take extreme action since the government is refusing to defend its own citizens," he said.
Meanwhile the signature campaign of the JHU against the 'prejudiced activities of the Norwegian peace Mission' had reached its one million target.
"We have extended the target to five million," the Ven. Thera said adding that the JHU would be taking the campaign against Norwegians to international levels.
