Protest against Dewali celebration in Toronto

November 06, 2011, 11:15PM Est

A peaceful protest rally was held Sunday Nov 06, 2011 at 4:00PM on Leslie street in Toronto, opposite the Korean Canadian Association. The rally was organized by the Transnational Government of Tamileelam to protest against the Deepawali celebration hosted by the government of Sri Lanka, to deceive the Canadian government and the international community.

About 500 Tamils, from toddlers to seniors gathered in front of the Korean Canadian Association chanting slogans and holding placards against the Sri Lankan regime. "Dewali celebration!! Hiding Genocide" was a slogan that highlighted the event, organized by Sri Lanka.

The 72 year old veteran Sinhala leftist politician, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who once was seen as a champion for Tamils' rights and currently the island nations' Minister of National languages and Advisor to the president presided event.

By having Mr. Nanayakkara as chief guest the Sri Lankan High Commission in Ottawa and the Consulate office in Toronto had planned to draw a large number of Tamils, with the intention of showing the invited diplomats and Canadian politicians, that Tamil Canadian's are supportive of Sri Lanka's reconciliatory measures.

On Friday November 4, 2011, In an interview hosted by a Toronto based Tamil Radio, Mr. Nanayakkara boasted of having around 300 hundred people for the event in 2010 and since the war has been ended, to give a higher posture to the celebration he said it has been expanded this year.

To the dismay of the Sri Lankan regime and Mr.Nanayakkara, no Canadian politician attended the event on Sunday. Tamil activists who were sent inside the auditorium by the TGTE with the mission of observing the event's proceedings; said, of about the two hundred attendees about twenty five were Tamil activist’s and around another seventy were Tamils deceived by the Sri Lankan regimes lies and the rest were Sinhalese and about six to seven diplomats.

Fifteen police officers were on duty around the protesters and approximately another thirty five police officers were deployed in and around the perimeters of the auditorium.

Meanwhile the Deputy Prime Minister of the TGTE Hon.Ram Sivalingham announced to the gathering, that an invitation to talk, with the protesting TGTE officials, has been received from Mr.Nanayakkara. He said it was rejected after consultation with his MP's and civilian officials. "This invitation to talk; from Mr.Nanayakkara is a huge victory indeed for the TGTE, but we are not going, since our Tamil people do not trust the Sri Lankan government and its officials" he further said.

Hon. Sam Sangarasivam, TGTE's Minister of Media and information thanked the mainstream and Tamil media personnel present. "Today's huge gathering is the direct result of the wide media publicity that has been given about the protest rally by the local Tamil media." he further said.

The protest rally was organized by the foreign and Political Affairs ministry of the TGTE and the event coordinator for the F&PA Ministry, Nimal Vinayagamoorthy MP, said, the rally was a great success.

"I don't think Sri Lanka will think of having another Deepawali celebration next year after seeing this protest." he said. He also said, that Hon. Thanikasalam Thayaparan,TGTE's Minister of Foreign & Political Affairs has been on the phone with him at least thrice from England, inquiring about the progress of the rally.

The rally ended at 7:00PM peacefully with the observance of silence to the fallen war heroes and civilians of the now besieged Tamil nation, and an oath of allegiance to the Tamileelam nation.

Courtesy: TGTE