TAMIL CANADIANS AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT By D.B.S.JEYARAJ


The largest concentration of Sri Lankan Tamils outside Sri Lanka is in Canada. More than 250,000 Tamils live in Canada now. Of these more than 200,000 Tamils are in the Greater Toronto area. Toronto is the largest "Sri Lankan Tamil" City in the Global Tamil Diaspora. The Tamil population here is larger than those in North - Eastern cities and towns like Jaffna, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Trincomalee etc.

It was predictable therefore that the Human Rights Watch report released on March 15th caused great waves within the Tamil community of Greater Toronto.The 45-page report authored by HRW Advocacy director of Chldren's rights Jo Becker dealt with fund raising for the LTTE and was titled , Funding the ‘Final War:’ LTTE Intimidation and Extortion in the Tamil Diaspora.The report focussed on London in Britain and Toronto in Canada. The Tamil Diaspora in these two Countries amount to nearly half of the total number of Tamils living in the West.

The reaction among Canadian Tamils was manifold. Though the LTTE and its minions try to project an impression that the community is 100% behind the LTTE the truth is different. About 15to 20% are hard core tiger supporters while another 10 to 15% are firmly opposed to the LTTE. The rest are of mindsets. Most feel strongly as Tamils but differ in their degrees of support or opposition to the LTTE. Many do not support the tigers on every issue but generally support the Tamil cause and feel that they are necessary to combat the Sinhala state. Others disapporove of tiger actions but are equally or more opposed to Sinhala racist ideology. Some have "Canadianised" strongly and are just not bothered about anything.

So when the HRW report was released the various strands in the community reacted differently. This response was of two kinds. One was openly articulated and public while the other larger response was among the people themselves and kept private. This column has repeatedly referred to a vociferous pro - tiger minority hogging the megaphone and posing off as the sole voice of the Tamils within the Canadian Tamil Diaspora. This phenomenon was once again present.

An organization calling itself the Canadian Tamil Congress issued a stinging press release. Earlier there was an outfit claiming to represent Canadian Tamils that called itself the FACT. (Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils). This outfit was clearly identified by the USA and Canadian authorities as a tiger front. Thereafter the FACT went out of circulation and in its place there arose the CTC. In keeping with typical LTTE style the CTC accused the HRW and Jo Becker of bias and pooh poohed the report.

The CRC also held a press conference that was attended largely by Tamil "community representatives". In fact the 70 to 80 Tamil "community leaders" vastly outnumbered the genuine media representatives present. Significvantly enough the much maligned HRW sent a representative as an "observer" to the press conference but was refused admission. The press conference was used by many speakers to attack the HRW and Ms. Becker personally evoking cheers and applause from the "packed" audience.

What was astounding about the tiger and pro - tiger response to the HRW report was the brazen attempt to deny the whole thing. Every member of the Tamil Diaspora knows that fund raising goes on. Many Tamils do give money willingly to the LTTE. Some are "pressured" to give more. Others are coerced into giving. While some Tamils have never been asked for money almost everyone knows of at least a few instances of money being collected and the intimidation involved.

A rational response by the tiger and pro - tiger elements could have been to "admit" to a little bit of fund raising going on but deny that it was widespread. They could also have said that the money was raised for humanitarian purposes and not to fund the LTTE war chest. On the question of intimidation they could have denied it and said action would be taken against anyone found guilty if evidence was presented.

Given the fact that fund raising along with some force and intimidation does exist within the community attempting to deny the obvious was like the Tamil saying about trying to conceal a whole pumpkin in a plantain leaf of rice. Yet this exactly was what the pro - tiger sections tried to do.Instead of being on the defensive and engaging in intelligent damage control the tiger minions went on the offensive and took on the HRW and Ms. Jo Becker crudely and rudely.

This flagrant attempt to deny the obvious , discredit the HRW and distort reality did not go down well with many members of the Tamil "Silent Majority". What was mostly resented was the pro - tiger elements trying to interprete the HRW report as affecting the entire community. It was not. The HRW report affected only those supporters and workers of the LTTE engaged in fund raising. It did not affect the community at large in any way. In fact the report brought to light the pathetic predicament faced by Tamil Canadians at the hands of some of their "imagined" kinsfolk. Many Tamils found their non - Tamil colleagues being sympathetic and cond considerate towards their plight after details of the HRW report became known.

It was apparent that the LTTE and its minions were in a state of "disconnect" with the bulk of Tamil Canadians. Most Tamils were a little upset but not unduly troubled by the HRW report . The uppermost thought in their minds was that this publicity could make the tiger cohorts go "slow" or go "soft" in their fund raising. While most Tamils do feel strongly about the Tamil plight and recognize the need for fund raising they resent the heavy handed, rough methods of the fund raisers. Many are sympathetic towards the "boys and girls" bearing arms for the Tamils but hate these parasitical fund raisers.

Adding fuel to this resentment is the fact that many Canadian Tamils are suspicious about the bona fides of some of these LTTE fund raisers. They are also uncertain as to how much exactly is actually going to the LTTE in Sri Lanka. It is an open secret that many Tamil businesses are funded by the local LTTE. Tiger acolytes also engage in direct wholesale business using money collected from the people. In order to corner the market and drive out competition a large amount of money is used to undercut others. This "subsidy" is from the people's donations.

Several tiger fund raisers have been given houses, cars and even paid salaries out of money collected here. There is also much corruption and several operatives without any overt source of income are living iit off grandly. Some top tiger operatives have often been "fired" on charges of graft by the movement.Also some senior fund raisers are given 10 to 20% commission of money collected as an incentive. The is no accountability.

So the ordinary people remained unruffled even as the tiger operatives careered around like headless chickens. Though the LTTE was trying to make out that a great calamity had befallen Canadian Tamils most members of the community were privately happy that those professing to represent the LTTE in Toronto had been given a jolt. There was also hope that the tigers would be careful at least in the future not to harass or intimidate Tamils. Many people were prepared to donate to the cause but resented the intimidation and corruption.

One of the most comical responses came from LTTE political Commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan who denied fund raising abroad. Funny if the LTTE does not get money from the Diaspora where then does it get its money? Furthermore Thamilselvan charged the HRW of not approaching them to get its side of the story. LTTE political affairs committee member and self - styled Toronto Tamil spkesperson Nehru Gunaratnam also lamented to the media that community leaders had not been interviewed and only alleged victims had been interviewed.Does the LTTE expect the HRW to interview them about the victims and not the victims themselves?

In any case Thamilselvan was not correct in saying the HRW had not contacted the LTTE. According to HRW circles the researcher /writer Ms. Jo Becker had sent more than one e - mail to Prabakharan alias Pulidevan the head of the LTTE peace sscretariat requesting a LTTE reponse to some questions . These were ignored. She had also contacted Santhan the head of the British Tamil association in London.The BTA is the British Pro - tiger organization. He had declined to be interviewed. He also refused to arrange for a meeting with LTTE ideologue Mr. Anton Balasingham.

In Canada Mr. Sittampalam president of the World Tamil Movement was interviewed. The WTM like the FACT is an accredited front organization of the LTTE. Mr. Sittampalam denied that the LTTE was active in Canada or that money was being raised on its behalf. Mr. Sittampalams response was duly recorded in the HRW report with a commentary note that testomonies from the Tamil community dispute this assertion.

Thus it could be seen that the HRW did make an effort to get the LTTE version of events too. Mr. Thamilselvan is not telling the truth when he says the tigers were not contacted by the HRW. The LTTE by ignoring the HRW has by default lost a good opportunity to present their side of the picture.Likewise Mr. Nehru Gunaratnam is also wrong in saying that the so called community leaders were not interviewed because the WTM president was interviewed. Perhaps Mr. Gunaratnam does not regard Mr. Sittampalam as a Tamil community leader.

One of the biggest challenges posed by the HRW to the LTTE was the ready availability of its report in Tamil. In 2004 December when the report on Child Soldiers in the LTTE was released the HRW made it available in Tamil. This was the case now also. The full report was available on the net and also hard copy. Though the LTTE media took great pains to criticise and condemn the report without publicising its contents to the Tamil people many went direct to the web and downloaded it. Copies were made and distributed.Other community activists also distributed copies to those who needed it.

Thus most people in the Tamil Canadian community who wanted to read the report had obtained a copy by the end of the week. With the LTTE media thundering against the report many people were eager to read it themselves. The HRW report was perhaps the most widely read "document" among Canadian Tamils in recent times that was critical of the LTTE. Many recognized in the report's anecdotal evidence the Similiar experiences they personally underwent at the hands of fund collectors themselves. Soon people were talking excitedly about the hated tiger fund raisers being exposed. Some said" if they (HRW) had contacted me I would have told them more".

Once again the "disconnect" between the LTTE activists and ordinary Tamil people became blatantly visible. While the people were appreciating and endorsing contents of the report among themselves the tiger minions were ranting and railing against the HRW and denying that fund raising was going on. The fact that the "silent majority" confirming the HRW report could not come forward openly speaks volumes about the "terror " inflicted upon the community. The HRW report itself explains this clearly. Yet the LTTE too was unable to get any prominent "Non - Tiger" Tamils to speak out against the HRW. Many engaging in the orchestrated anti - HRW campaign are recognized tiger sympathisers and supporters.

With some critics raising questions about the HRW methodology and credentials of Ms. Jo Becker the HRW came out with a press release clarifying those matters. It also highlighted some provisions already mentioned in the report but conveniently ignored by the tiger elements. This statement was depicted as a HRW admission of guilt. The HRW was "backtracking" the LTTE gloated. This was simply not true and served to illustrate the depths to which the tiger acolytes can sink in maligning their perceived opponents. The HRW continues to stand by its report and has not backtracked at all.

The HRW also opened up space on its website for comments and suggestions about the report. Instead of utilising an opportunity to express legitimate , constructive criticism about the report an orchestrated campaign was once again underfoot to malign and slander the HRW and Ms. Becker. But very soon the non - tigers and anti - tigers jumped in.

It was thereafter a verbal free for all. The report and its contents were forgotten. Totally irrelevant issues were raised. Foul language was used. Charges and counter charges prevailed. It was another missed opportunity for tiger supporters to convey their views effectively. One thing however was clear. The tigers and their supporters have lost the monopoly they once had over cyberspace.

While the LTTE smirked in myopic satisfaction about the HRW backtracking it would be pertinent to see what impact the report had on the mainstream media. Given the prestige enjoyed by the HRW in North America the report was given much publicity. Apart from the wire services reports the CBC radio and main newspapers also gave much coverage. The CBC devoted time to the report in its "Morning Metro" "Current" and "Ontario Today" programs. Ms. Jo Becker and CTC spokesperson David Poopalapillai were interviewed. So too were some Tamil residents including this columnist.

Newspapers like the "Globe and Mail" "Toronto Star" and "National Post" also gave coverage. Editorials were written urging the authorities to ban the LTTE in Canada. The "rightist" National Post urging a ban was nothing new as it has done so in the past. But the real lesson for the LTTE was the role of "Toronto Star" Canadas largest circulated newspaper. The Star is a liberal pro - immigrant, pro - minority journal. Yet that paper urged a ban. It also focussed on this fund raising even before the HRW report and had a centre spread article. While giving space to the pro - LTTE version the "Star" also gave prominence to a little known non - tiger group that welcomed the report.

In its editorial of March 16th the "Star" had a sly dig at those in the community saying that there was no tiger activity in Canada. If that was the case then banning the tigers need not make anyone object the "star" suggested tongue in cheek. If the LTTE acolytes in Canada had any sense they should take serious note of the "Star" leader. The fact that such a reputed liberal newspaper could urge a ban demonstrates how low LTTE stock is with the Canadian mainstream. The writing may be on the wall for the LTTE in Canada if the "Star" response is an indicator.

The security certificate issued against Suresh Manickavasagam in 1995 cited him as a LTTE fund raiser. That order issued under sec 40 of the Immigration Act was signed by the then Immigration Minister Sergio Marchi and Solicitor - General Herb Gray. It was subsequently upheld by Federal Court Judge Max Teitelbaum. This was a clear instance where the Canadian executive and Judiciary regarded the LTTE as "terrorist" and fund raising as an offence.

After the Sep 11th 2001 twin toweer bombings the UN suppression of terrorism act was passed in Canada too. Under this act financing of terrorism was expressly forbidden. The LTTE was listed under this law and funding the tigers was made illegal. Canada also passed a rigid anti - terrorist law called the Anti - Terrorism Act or C - 36. More than 30 foreign organizations were banned under that law but not the LTTE. Though security agencies had recommended a ban it was put on hold. It was reported then that the former Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham had persuaded his cabinet colleagues not to ban the LTTE as the organization was engaged in a peace process and that a ban may affect it.

This was under a Liberal party Government. Now the Conservatives are in power. Two present Cabinet ministers have while in the opposition called for a ban on the LTTE . They are Peter MacKay the Foreign Affairs Minister and Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day. Interestingly enough these are the two ministers who would have a key role to play in determining which organizations are to be banned under the terrorism act. Mr. Day was foreign affairs critic when in the opposition and consistently called for a LTTE ban.Mr. MacKay called for a ban during the Parliamentary polls campaign but "muted" his views because of pressure from Toronto region candidates.

Since there is a substantial Tamil voting bloc in about ten to twelve ridings or electorates Conservative candidates including one of Sri Lankan origin did not want to upset them. This was under the mistaken impression that the LTTE controls Tamil voters in Canada. Once again the vociferous minority hogging the Tamil megaphone had created that illusion. In actual terms this was not true. Except for some hard core tiger supporters most Tamil voters decided independently. These decisions were based on a number of issues affecting them as "Canadians" and not on a single "Tamil" based issue.

The LTTE elements who had been backing the Liberals in the past few elections switched sides this time and expressed support for the Conservatives. This was due to two reasons. One was the realisation that the Liberals were on the decline and that the Conservatives were the favourites. The second was to influence the Conservatives and prevent harsh action against the LTTE. The electoral verdict however showed that the Greater Toronto region remained Liberal or New Democratic . The Conservatives did not fare well here because of the new immigrant, visible minority vote.

It remains to be seen therefore what the Conservative Government will do. Some weeks ago Mr. Day was asked about this at a press conference and he replied that the matter was being looked into. This was before the HRW report. What the report has done is to inform mainstream Canada about the activities of the LTTE and about how a segment of Canada's population is being victimised by a group claiming to represent them. The issue is about a section of Canada's population being under "attack" in Canada. This is an assault on the freedom , rights and core values of Canada.

In a sense the issue has moved beyonde the realm of foreign policy. What is at stake here is the violation of the law and basic tenets of human rights. This is now a Canadian issue. The hardhitting Editorial by a liberal newspaper like "The Toronto Star" is an index of how progressive mainstream opinion views the problem. If the LTTE wants to stave off a future ban it needs to undertake a massive damage control exercise.

Unfortunately those who claim to support the LTTE have shown themselves incapable of gauging or meeting the challenge. They have only been able engage in predictable antics. Accusing the HRW of ulterior motives and colluding with Colombo, denigrating the integrity and efficiency of Jo Becker, Denying that fund raising takes place, attacking people suspected of providing information as anti - tiger or mercenaries, derisively mocking their perceived critics etc. These cheap puerile tactics may win them applause among tiger supporters but will not help their cause in any way.

The LTTE has also commenced its usual intimidatory tactics. Many people suspected of helping the HRW are being attacked in their media. Threatening telephone calls are also being made. This columnist too is at the receiving end. Though I was not involved with the HRW report and references to me in the report were taken by the HRW from an open letter I wrote in 1996 the tiger media has started vilifying me. The usual anonymous calls are also on. If this "intimidation" was intended to make me back off it has been counterproductive.

What these elements failed to comprehend was that I had no connection to the report and I had planned on remaining aloof from commenting about it. I revised my decision and started writing extensively for three reasons. One was the challenge issued by the LTTE website "Nitharsanam" that it would slander and defame me if I wrote anything. Secondly was my disgust at the conduct of some Canadian Tamils denying the fund raising itself and defending the indefensible.. Thirdly I was angered by the attacks launched on Ms. Jo Becker and the HRW for having written a truthful report and felt they should be supported publicly. As long as the LTTE launches vituperative attacks I would continue espousing this HRW report.

The LTTE is yet to learn that "Bullying" does not always pay. In December 2004 the HRW released a report on Child Soldiers. A meeting was held at the Scarborough Civic Centre. A gang of pro - tiger hooligans invaded the place and constantly heckled Jo Becker. Even former Ontario premier Bob Rae was prevented from addressing the meeting for a long time.An enraged Rae exclaimed that in his 25 years of public life he had never undergone such an experience.

But did the LTTE supporters gain anything by this show of force? Instead of being cowed into silence the very same Jo Becker has come out with another HRW report. Still the LTTE supporters continue with their intimidatory tactics. This has resulted in many people coming forward with their experiences and the truth. For the first time perhaps four Tamil persons in Toronto persons were bold enough to sign an open letter with their real names criticising the LTTE and endorse the report. More than one person was emboldened to speak out feely to the media.

Realistically however one cannot see the fund raising end unless and until a satisfactory political settlement is reached in Sri Lanka. Those committed tiger supporters as well as Tamils yearning for an end to the oppression of the Sinhala state would keep on giving money for the Tamil cause. The problem however is in adopting coercive tactics to make people give more or to make those unwilling to give.If tiger agents desist from intimidating the unwilling and incapable and rely only on their diehard supporters for money then there would not be any major problem. The Tamils who took up refuge in Canada should not be victimised by an organization claiming to represent them.



(ENDS)