Tamil Solidarity Vigil in Winnipeg - May 17, 2009

In response to the reported slaughter of 25,000 Tamil civilians last week, members of Winnipeg's Tamil community held a candle light vigil at the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg on May 17, 2009. At the vigil, they prayed for peace and called upon the Canadian government to do more to prevent further bloodshed in Sri Lanka.

More information: http://peacealliancewinnipeg.ca

Produced by Paul S. Graham: http://paulsgraham.ca

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• Tamil solidarity
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[redriverpete]

The desire for peace expressed by Winnipeg's Tamil community is the theme of this video.

Comments are welcome here. Abusive language is not.

I have removed the comments made up to now because they contained abusive, threatening language directed at Tamils. I will continue to remove such comments and may block those who make offensive posts.

The last 30 years have been a tragedy for Sri Lankans of all ethnic backgrounds. This is neither the time nor the place for this conflict to continue.

[jcherath]

stop talking who started, who stopped the war. stop arguing to whom sri lanka belongs to. There has been established traditions and laws in sri lanka during the last 3000 years. do not support terrorism and sepratism in sri lanka. support sinhalese, tamils and other parties in sri lanka to live like brothers and sisters. get together and develop the country. any citizen of sri lanka should be able to move and buy a piece of land anywhere in the country, without fear from suicide bombers.

[chakrasad]

So brother, see, how it is possible to give a saparate state for tamils in Sri Lanka? If the Tamils are allowed a such a thing, then the next thing will be the Muslims will also need the same.

Do you know the % s of the people liveing in Sri Lanka? I dont think so. If you know you will not bargain for a saparate state IN SRI LANKA.

Sinhala 80%

Tamils  12%

Others 8%

So do you get my point. If you need a stste of your own it should be TAMIL NADU.

[tben61]

I think if the sinhala people want to live peacefully in Srilanka, they must press their gov't to consider the tamil isseu and resolve the isseu now!! . some of the comments  try to teach others with total lies which the sinhala budhists gov"t told the people of sinhala origin. first you must know you can"t change the histry of srilanka. you change the attitude towerds fellow srilankan if you think the tamils also consider as srilankan.

[4truepeace]

Chakrasand,

All your postings here are based on the assumption that Srilanka belongs to Sinhalease and Tamils are just allowed as visitors. The first point you should be clear is that all the inhabitants came from India and The Tamils have the same ownership to the land as the Sinhalease.

Tamils want a separate state in SRILANKA as they do not want to live a life defined by the Sinhala Budhists. They want to be free and manage their affairs in Tamil in the north and East.

[4truepeace]

Chakrasad:

Dear Brother. Ok u tell me, now u may liveing in some country(not in sri lanka). OK. So can u ask for a saparate state in that country? I dont think so. But you are liveing there. right ? thats what i ment.

First of all I am glad that you are calling me a brother. If you and other Sinhala brothers and sisters treated the Tamils as true brothers and sisters we will not be in this mess.

If  you really mean that you will not be colonising the Tamil areas with the help of military.

[ARAMANATHAN]

you would be correct, if tamils haven't been demeaned and discriminated against since the end of the british rule. because of this mistreatment of a people, a tamil rebellion was formed. you may be wondering why a political resolve wasnt tackled first, well like i said before the tamils were discriminated from and had no place in the sri lankan parliamant. so you see these tamils do have a right to protest as they have had no equality from the get go.

[chakrasad]

Dear Brother. Ok u tell me, now u may liveing in some country(not in sri lanka). OK. So can u ask for a saparate state in that country? I dont think so. But you are liveing there. right ? thats what i ment. If you need a country of your own, it should be on your (Tamil) home land, which is Tamil Nadu. Isnt it? correct me if i am wrong.

[4truepeace]

The typical mentality and the objective of the National parties of srilanka (hidden priority for Sinhala Budhists) is shown by your 4 sentences here. The international community and the readers on the net should focus on the kind of government that have been ruling the Tamils since independence from the British.

Look at the Tone of Chakrasad:

On one side:

They (Tamils) can live

Srilanka is a Sinhala country

Tamils have no right (to ask for a separate state) ON ANYTHING

WHO STARTED ?

[chakrasad]

Tamils have no right to ask for a saparate state in Sri Lanka. They can live in Sri Lanka, but if they want a saparate state, they should try to create that in Tamil Nadu. Because the Sri Lanka is the Sinhalise country. Who started this war? Sinhalise? Its by LTTE. Sinhalise put a stop to that at last.

[4truepeace]

Whether is is the Sinhala government fighting with the Sinhala army or the LTTE figting for the Tamils killing of people is the same because all are Srilankans. The Sinhalease have never understood how the power in the hands of the majority sinhalease with the help of the almost exclusive sinhala army carried out violent actions agaisnt the Tamils of the north and east.

If the sinhalease wanted their tamil brothers, sisters fathers and mothers to live with dignity and peace - Devolve power