For years the Tamil community around Toronto has tried unsuccessfully to get support for their civil war against the Sri Lanka Government. In recent months as they were showing signs of losing the war the protests got bigger. This past week they got even more attention as they blocked off roads and even the Gardiner Expressway. They took notice that the blocking traffic and inconveniencing others was getting them lots of attention. This fit in with their belief that all that was needed was for people to hear their story and they would have support.
Throughout the protests the flags of the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) were waived proudly. These were the fighters in the struggle for independance and to the rest of the world simply a terrorist organization. They used powerful weapons such as suicide bombers and kidnapped children which were sent to the front lines. They ran exhtortion rackets to collect money for the war effort. Even their flag is a tiger surrounded by bullets and two rifles in the back ground. Hardly the symbol for a group that wants to live in peace.
The demonstrations over the past week showed that the Tamil community didn't care less how their actions effected others as long as they helped their own self interest. This is the same type of attitude that justifies the use of child soldiers and suicide bombers in order to bring about political objectives.
The Tamil Tigers have been defeated. Sri Lanka will now transfer into a rebuilding period of peace and hopefully prosperity. If the Tamil community accepts the new reality and would like help in supporting their former homeland, Canadians may be will to offer their sympathy and support. If they continue to blame Canadians and the world for not joining in their fight, they will remain outsiders of a political system that has the ability to help with the rebuilding and healing process.
2 comments:
It's nice to see the civil war end after 20 plus years. I would have to say the Tamil's were probably the most advanced opposition force we have ever seen with ground, navy, AND air patrol (might have been 5 planes, but hey!). But they were terrorists and deserved defeat. They might have wanted an independent area to call their own, but the size of the island is not big enough for two governments.
It will be interesting to see how they adopt to the new reality after being used to terrorism and war for so many years.
Post a Comment