REACH - May 2010

MAY 2010 Vol - 24 TYO - Canada

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34 - 1112 - 1415 - 17

19 - 2018

HistoryYouth Events

War Crimes DayYouth Events - Continued

Get InvolvedYouth Reflection

To work towards the enhancement of the

Tamil Nation and to provide an avenue

for the betterment of Tamil youth in canada

TYO

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One year ago on May 18th 2009, the Sri Lankan government had tightened its grip on the Tamil homeland with a full-scale occupation. While the Sri Lankan government may have been swollen with pride over this conquest, their conduct throughout the last few days of the war has brought international spotlight into human rights violations and war crime charges. During the last few days of the war, thousands of Tamil people in Sri Lanka were inhumanely treated. They were slaughtered, silenced, and barred. It was a life or death situation, and for most Tamils, death seemed to be inevitable. On Tuesday May 18th 2010, the global Tamil community had taken it upon themselves to remember and commemorate the many lives that were lost. On this day, thousands of people from the Tamil community were accompanied on Queens Park by other caring citizens, activists, and government officials. They dressed in black to mourn the lost lives, and they spoke in solidarity. Their message and their voices echoed throughout the entire community, and the strength in their struggle for a peaceful solution for the Tamil people was inspiring. The night concluded with a candlelight vigil that seemed to light up the world. Determination, hope, and justice were at the midst of their message. It was an emotional night, but it was one that reminded the Tamil community of the realities that our Tamil brothers and sisters back home had to, and continue to, endure. This is just one more day in our

history. Tamils all over the world have declared and marked May 18th as War Crimes Day.

– Tharch.V

In Solidarity,TYO - Canada

“We are often unprepared for Truth, which is why Truth is revealed to us progressively”– Chip Brogden

Intro

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The burning of the Jaffna library, one of the biggest and finest in Asia, on the night of May 31st 1981 is an act of cultural genocide of Eelam Tamils that adds to the long list of sad sagas faced by Tamils. On that fateful night Sri Lankan forces and Sinhalese mobs set ablaze this grand library as part of the pogrom against Tamils of Jaffna. Some 97,000 volumes of books, excluding rare and important Ola manuscripts, went up in flames. These included works of Ananda Coomaraswamy, the famous Lanka-born Tamil Indophil and eminent intellectual Professor Issac Thambiah. In the massacre that followed over next two days statues of Tamil cultural and religious icons were destroyed or disfigured. The library was built in many stages starting from 1933, from modest beginnings as a private collection. Soon with the help of primarily local citizens, it became a full-fledged library. The library also became a repository of archival material written in Palm leaf manuscripts, original copies of regionally important historic documents in the contested Contest, political history of Sri Lanka and newspapers that were published hundreds of years ago in the Jaffna peninsula. It thus became a place of historic and symbolic importance to Eelam Tamils.

Eventually the first major wing of the library was opened in 1959. The architect of the Indo-Saracenic style building was one Narasimhan from Madras, India. Prominent Indian librarian S.R. Ranganathan served as an advisor to ensure that the library was built to international standards. The library became the pride of the local people as even researchers from India and other countries began to use it for their research purposes.

Braving its first destruction in 1981, the Tamil community pooled thousands of books, to rebuild the library when the civil war caught up in 1983. In 1985 again, the semi-built library bore assault of Sri Lankan Army.

Of all the destruction in Jaffna city it was the destruction of the Jaffna Public Library was the incident which appeared to cause the most distress to the Tamil people. After the occupation of Jaffna by Sri Lankan forces in 1996 efforts were made to rebuild the symbolic and important library. But the lost inflicted was irreplaceable and the damage had already been done. Many Tamils argue it should have been kept as a memorial and claim that it was rebuilt to whitewash and hide the Sinhala pogrom against Tamils.

The library was reopened in 2003, twenty two years later, Mayor of Jaffna Nadarajah Raviraj still grieved at the recollection of the flames he saw as a University student. He was later killed by unknown gunmen in the capital Colombo in 2006. For Tamils the devastated library became a symbol of “physical and imaginative violence” of majoritarian extremists. The attack was seen as an assault on their aspirations, value of learning and traditions of academic achievement.

Not much has changed for Tamils in Sri Lanka today. The cultural genocide of Tamils continue unabated and with new vigor.

Hist

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Remembering the Burning of the Jaffna Library


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University Avenue“Where It All Started…”

360 University Avenue, an area which is now well-known throughout the greater Toronto area, as where the Tamils spent countless days, hours, minutes and seconds, chanting, pleading, and begging for justice for the Tamil community. During the month of May of 2010, the Tamil population rose once again, from May 3rd to May 17th, as they dressed in black to show mourning for those they have lost in the “final” month of war. 360 University Avenue is marked as the area where Tamils started to protest for an independent homeland called Tamil Eelam, and will eventually be the place where the Tamil community will celebrate the rising of the wonderful state, Tamil Eelam.

– Pamela. K

Photo’s courtesy of Arul.M


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Tamil Womens OrgaizationRemembering Month of May

In remembering month of May, Tamil Women Organization also known as TWO organized an event to remember those that were lost during month of May in the year 2009. The event held on Saturday, May 8 brought together many members of the Tamil Community under one roof. The event consisted of numerous speeches along with motivational stage dances and performances. Everyone that attended only had one thing in mind and that is to remember their lost loved ones, the people and the fallen freedom fighters. This wasn’t the first time that the community had come to commemorate their people and their heroes. The 33 years of war may seem to be over but the plight of Tamils still remains at large.

– Thamayanthy. R


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Mother’s Day Awareness

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It was a day to appreciate mothers, and a day for mothers to feel appreciated, that’s why it was called Mother‘s Day. But back in Thamileelam there were thousands of mothers who were in agony from having lost their children to war. Women were victims to rape, mothers were forced to have abortions, and thousands of children of all ages lost their mothers.

Youth in our community felt it was important to remember the plight of Tamil women/mother’s back home, and wanted to shed light on their situation. They gathered at Dundas square, and held signs with explicit images of the reality that women face in the war torn island. There were many people who stopped to ask questions, who then walked away leaving behind kind sympathetic words.

– EnnaDa.



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On Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 from 10 am to 4 pm the Tamil Students’ Association at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus initiated their awareness campaign pertaining to the remembrance of the May Massacre, which took place this month last year. UTSC TSA recreated Tamil Eelam out of Styrofoam and spray-painted it a rich green colour. Tiny Tamil Eelam flags were printed out and secured onto toothpicks. The back of the flag read:

“I am _________ and I support Tamil Eelam!”

As students walked through the student centre they were informed of the past, present, and future of Tamil Eelam. Students, who were supportive of the struggle for a separate state that fairly represents the Tamil people, wrote their names on the back of the little flags and placed them on a location on the Tamil Eelam map. Soon a once green Tamil Eelam became a vibrant red colour as hundreds of students remembered the many precious lives that were lost last year and stood in solidarity with the aspirations of Tamils all over the world.

– TSA-CANADA

UTSC TSATamileelam Awareness Campaign

Photo’s courtesy of UTSC TSA


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In addition to the numerous events held in awareness of the month of May to mark the one year remembrance of, ‘May Massacre’, there was a 24 hour famine commenced at 360 University Avenue on May 14th. The famine entitled ‘Viduthalai Vitthukal: Seeds of the Freedom’, was conducted towards the end of the continuous protesting at the same avenue, the majority of the fasters were students who wanted to present themselves in front of the American Embassy to demand rights for Thamils, victims of genocide in Sri Lanka; and also promote the campaign of raising awareness about the atrocities and tortures experienced by Thamils in the climax of the war last year during this month. The significance behind the selection of the location would be to regain the hopes that were last left at the same location. From 5pm on May 14th to 7pm of May 15th, the fasters successfully completed the fast and also their objectives of the fast.

– Saru. N

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Viduthalai VitthukalSeeds of the Freedom



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TYO CanadaMarkham Region Protest

TYO CanadaYork Region Protest

On May16th, Tamil Youth Organization’s Markham regional chapter had organized a peaceful protest Markham and Highway 7 to create awareness about the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The Tamil community in Markham and the youth came together to organize a rally and a candle light vigil to remember the thousands of people who were brutally slaughtered by the Sri Lankan government.

– TYO CANADA

Similarily Tamil Youth Organization’s York regional chapter had organized a peaceful protest at Jane & Finch.

– TYO CANADA

Photo’s courtesy of TYO - Markham Chapter


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TYO CanadaMaple Region Protest

On Sunday May 16th, 2010 the Tamil Youth Organization’s Maple regional chapter organized a vigil to commemorate thousands of Tamils who lost their lives and to mark the one year anniversary of the May Massacre. Throughout the years, the Maple Tamil community has significantly grown in large numbers. The vigil was supported by hundreds of Tamils who reside in the region of Maple. The objective of the vigil was to bring awareness to the mainstream public about the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

– TYO CANADA


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TYO ItalyMarch for Human Rights & World Peace

Perugia-Assisi Peace March organized a march on 16.05.2010 with an estimated 25 kilometer peaceful march. It began at 8:00am and it ended at 2:00pm. During this time, TYO-Italy hosted an awareness campaign about annual remembrance of people who had been brutally murdered by the Sri Lankan government. TYO and members of the community were able to spread the message of Sri Lanka`s war crimes through literature material. The success of the event came from the attendance of more than five thousand students and teachers from all over Italy, members of human rights watch, amnesty international, politicians, and labor movements.

– TYO ITALY


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War Crimes Day - Canada


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War Crimes Day - WorldWar crimes day on May 18th 2010 events had held in

many countries where the Tamils are lives.

Australia Cypress

FranceDenmark

Germany Ireland

Italy


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War

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War Crimes Day - World

United Kingdom

Norway

SwitzerlandNetherland

United States


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TYO CanadaMarkham Blood Drive

On May 24th, 2010, Tamil Youth Organization (TYO-Markham) alongside Canadian Blood Services ran a blood drive at Milliken Mills Community Center. TYO-Markham helped run this event by getting people to come and donate their blood, specifically from the Tamil community. It is important that we, the Tamil people also help the community in which we live in. A single donor has the power to save a person life, so we can imagine how many lives we can save if all Tamil people who qualified donated.

TYO-Markham also participated in this event by giving out “May Massacre” flyers to the blood drive attendees. We chose this date specifically due to the fact that it was near the week of the “May Massacre” which took place within the week of May 1st to May 19th. This was the week of the final stages of war which took place in Mulivaikaal, a place in which many Tamil people both children and adults were brutally murdered in a systematic genocide by the Sri Lankan government.

It is important that before donating, to register through these simple steps:

Register before you go: (http://www.blackjuly83.com/BloodDonation.htm) • Go to www.blood.ca/partnersforlife• Click on “join Partners for Life”. Then click on “Member”• Click on “Sign me up to donate with my team!”• Fill out the secure form and click “Submit”• Group name: Tamil Canadians• Partner ID: CANA009345

It is important that we should be grateful for the country in which took us as refugees when our true homeland was rejecting us as human beings. It is important that each and every Tamil, whether young or old strives for the freedom of their people back in Tamil Eelam and also strives to help the current community in which they live in.

– TYO CANADA



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YUTSAArts Night event

On Thursday May 27th, 2010 YUTSA held an event called “Unheard Voices, Untold Stories”. The Tamil students Association at York University wanted students to come out and see how students express their views on Tamil Eelam in all forms of the arts. CTYA also held their art exhibition “Witness, when words fall silent art speaks”. The message behind this event was even though May 18th has passed the fight for our struggle doesn’t end there. This is more importance to the month than just that one day.

– TSA-CANADA

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Photo’s courtesy of YUTSA


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On May 30, 2010, Tamil Youth Organization’s Markham regional chapter organized a tree planting in the Town of Markham community which turned out to be a big success. Many Tamil youth participated with full energy and planted more than 50 trees for the betterment of the environment. The tree planting exercise was conducted to remember the May Massacre and the environment that was destroyed by Sri Lankan government’s genocidal war.

– TYO CANADA

TYO CanadaMarkham Region Tree Planting

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Absorb your history, let it become a part of your flesh and bonesUse it to build your muscle thicker and stronger.Let their blood pulse in your veins, let their hearts beat in your chestLet their slaughtered flesh live in your body,and their crushed dreams to replay in your mindYou are now a thousand times strongerYou now have, a thousand heartsa thousand bodies,and a single goal dreamt by thousands.Let us fight for our future with every piece of our history.You are THOUSANDS in ONE, and you still continue to die.Always Remember.

The May Massacre of 2009, will forever be engraved in our past as an atrocity we failed to prevent. We’ve fallen many times to only take flight again, this time we will rise and take flight, and we will NOT fall till we LAND in ThamilEelam!

– enna da


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Join TYOOur doors are always open to new members that are looking to make a difference for Tamils around the world.

As an organization with the interests of Tamil youth at heart, TYO provides opportunities for Canadian Tamil youth to network, contribute, and develop their skills in various areas as well.

Interested in getting involved?

Please contact us at [email protected] visit us at www.canadatyo.org

Speak OutAs Tamil youth in Canada, we have the ultimate duty of educating others, as well as ourselves of the suffering of the Tamil people. Understanding is crucial. And with understanding comes awareness, the most essential step in the path to progress.

Ignorance is not a bliss.

•Stayupdatedwithrecentnews

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•Writeapoem,articles,essay

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Reach Designer - Shiyamdev.SReach Editor - Arul.M


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Guidelines:o All submissions must be in English

o You may create your own title for your work

o Written work should be within 750 words (or 2 pages letter sized), 12 pt font (Times)

o Can be written in any form (article, research essay, poem, story, etc.)

o Include your name, contact info, and University/ College/ High School (If applicable)

o Submit before JUNE 25th, 2010

o Must be e-mailed to [email protected] with the subject ‘Reach-MAY 2010’

o Please attach a word file or copy and paste your work in your e-mail

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For the tragic timesWith your heart and no regrets

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REACH - May 2010

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Transcript of REACH - May 2010