The Tigers are holding civilians hostage -- there's little or no doubt on that point. But for Canadians with families held hostage the rights and wrongs are overcome by concern for the welfare of civilians. Michael Ignatieff acted rightly in defusing, while making clear the Tigers were a terrorist organization, the weekend situation -- why didn't some Minister act? -- but at base there is very very little that Canada can do and the Tamil protests are, at best, effective in dealing with the Canadian response to post conflict rebuilding.
Protest, yes, but lawfully
The Toronto Star
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Page: A14
Section: Editorial
It is easy to understand why our Canadian Tamil community is so agitated these days. Back in their Sri Lanka homeland, their friends and relatives are being shelled and shot as the civil war there comes to a bloody end.
An estimated 50,000 Tamil civilians are trapped between the warring forces of the Sri Lankan army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In what a UN spokesperson in Sri Lanka called a "bloodbath," hundreds of civilians were killed over the weekend, including many children. ...
The weekend events help to explain why Canadian Tamils hit the streets in protest on Sunday and succeeded in closing the Gardiner Expressway. In the process, however, they hugely inconvienced the general population and threatened public safety, thereby undermining any sympathy that the rest of us might have felt for their cause.
It may be argued that the protest worked, given that it was on the front pages and led the newscasts yesterday. As well, both the Liberals and New Democrats pressed the government in the House of Commons to pursue a ceasefire in Sri Lanka. "We simply can't stand by and watch this slaughter continue," said NDP Leader Jack Layton.
... .
It is unlikely, however, that continued illegal protests such as the one on the Gardiner will force Ottawa's hand. More likely, they will drive away what support the Canadian Tamils have in the political realm.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, who helped to broker an end to the Gardiner protest, made clear yesterday that he does not condone the protesters' tactics. "I urge Canadian Tamils to continue raising this issue publicly, and to give it the attention it deserves," said Ignatieff in a statement. "But I implore them to do so legally and safely, by working with their elected representatives and through legal means of protest, and not through demonstrations that put public safety at risk."
Ignatieff is surely right. We hope the Canadian Tamil community heeds his message.
5 comments:
Morton, if you or I did what they did on that highway the other day, we would be locked up in the Don Jail right now.
But since the Liberals imported every single one of those Tamils, nothing happens.
Amazing how a political party can get away with supporting terrorists.
Imagine if those Tamils were still in Sri Lanka fighting the government?
Morton, how has the importation of 250 thousand Tamils benefit Canada.
We already know through studies that native born Canadians get ZERO net benefit from immigrants.
So what is the benefit to me and my family by allowing these tamils to break the law?
You're a lawyer so maybe you can answer the question, since no-one else can.
This is almost as amusing as "free speech zones"... where humans are corralled into pens...
You know that there is something wrong when people are encouraged to act as sheeple....
Of course Anon demonstrates the disconnect with reality that most Connies seem to have...
Anonymous makes the Tamil-Canadians seem like a commodity with the use of the word, "importation."
Did the protesters lose sympathy of their fellow Canadians? They probably did. However, when most Canadians are ignorant about the political and military situtation in Sri Lanka, losing sympathy from Canadians who have zero interest in Sri Lanka is not a loss at all.
The Canadian players in this issue played their cards correctly. Ignatieff agreed to raise the Sri Lankan issue in the House of Commons while denouncing terrorism. I don't think he actually asked the a question in the the House of Commons. Another Liberal MP did.
The Conservatives played their cards correctly by not responding to the actual protest on the Gardiner Expressway. I would have done the same had I been wearing Conservative shoes.
Cherniak_WTF makes me think of an interesting point. If the protesters were to politely protest on the lawn of Queen's Park, no one would notice their protest.
Around 50 years ago, black Americans were "illegally" marching to get their rights.
"Around 50 years ago, black Americans were "illegally" marching to get their rights."
Saying something like that above is so childish, immature, goofy, retarded, fucked up, just down right fucking stupid.
Comparing 250 thousand imported Tamil Tiger followers to black "Americans" makes you look like a.........
I can't even come up with anything to describe it.
We plea to the people of US, UK and CANADA to express their concern regarding this issue via www.faisalkhan.ca to their lawmakers. Please hurry before it is too late.
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