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NDP MP commemorates eventhonouring fallen Tamil Tigers,likens it to Remembrance Dayin parliamentNDP MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan giving her statement in support ofcommemorating Tamil Heroes Day, Nov. !, "#$.
S TEWART B ELL | November 27, 2014
Rathika Sitsabaiesan’s statement
“ Mr. Speaker as Canadians of Tamil heritage in November we commemorate two
important events, Remembrance Da and the Tamil !eroes Da . This month
s mboli"es the bea#t of life beca#se we remember all those who sacrifice their lives
for the rest of #s to live in peace and freedom. $e remember that each and ever one
of the people who have been ca#ght in the crossfires of war thro#gho#t the ages have
8/10/2019 NDP MP commemorates event honouring fallen Tamil Tigers, likens it to Remembrance Day in parliament.odt
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embraced life over death b#t those who made the #ltimate sacrifice ens#red that we
who s#rvived wo#ld be able to live with dignit and with liberties. This month provides
#s with the occasion not onl to remember and pa trib#te to the heroes b#t also to
reflect on the lessons of the str#ggle for %#stice, peace and a life free from
discrimination. Sadl on the island co#ntr of Sri &anka where ' was born as a child of war the discrimination and in%#stices contin#e and the ethnic and religio#s minorities
contin#e to live witho#t peace and in fear. Mr. Speaker let #s alwa s work for peace at
home and abroad and as alwa s s#pport those who p#t their lives on the line. (rom the
bottom of m heart ' thank o# all lest we forget.)
T*R*NT* + Canada’s p#blic safet minister said Th#rsda he was shocked and
appalled) after a New Democratic -art M- rose in the !o#se of Commons tocommemorate Tamil !eroes Da , which hono#rs fallen Tamil Tigers rebels.
Steven lane #rged Rathika Sitsabaiesan, a Sri &ankan/born rookie M-, to apologi"e
to veterans and all Canadians) for her statement that called the da an important
event) and likened it to Remembrance Da .
!eld each Nov. 01, Tamil !eroes Da was created b the Tamil Tigers to mark the date
the first member of the armed separatist gro#p was killed in combat. The rebel boss
2el#pillai -rabhakaran traditionall gave a defiant speech on that da .“ Tamil !eroes Da is dedicated to the glorification of the terrorist gro#p &iberation
Tigers of Tamil 3elam, known more commonl as the Tamil Tigers,) said Mr. lane ,
pointing o#t the Tigers are on Canada’s list of designated terrorist entities.“ ' am shocked and appalled that an ND- member of -arliament wo#ld not onl
endorse the celebration of terrorists, b#t wo#ld also e4#ate it to the solemn occasion of
Remembrance Da where we hono#r o#r fallen Canadian heroes.)
!e called on Ms. Sitsabaiesan, the M- for Scarboro#gh/Ro#ge River, to stop shopping
for votes from terrorist/linked gro#ps, and to immediatel apologi"e to veterans and all
Canadians for these comments.)
'n an email Th#rsda , Ms. Sitsabaiesan said she was not s#pporting terrorism or
enco#raging violence. Rather, as the first Tamil M- elected, ' %oin Tamil/Canadians
8/10/2019 NDP MP commemorates event honouring fallen Tamil Tigers, likens it to Remembrance Day in parliament.odt
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and all across o#r co#ntr in mo#rning those who have died in wars at home or
abroad, and in s#pporting those who work tirelessl for the ca#se of peace.)
#t photographs of a !eroes Da event held Th#rsda in Markham, *nt., and posted
on the (acebook page of the Tamil 5o#th *rgani"ation/Canada, showed the Tamil
Tigers’ militaristic flag and visitors walking past a wall of portraits of men and womenin rebel #niforms.
D#ring their three/decade campaign for Tamil independence, the Tigers cond#cted
h#ndreds of s#icide bombings and assassinated moderate Tamil leaders as well as
Ra%iv 6andhi, the former 'ndian prime minister. The were cr#shed b Sri &ankan
forces in 0778.
Tamil %outh &rgani'ation ( )ana*a+ acebook - Tamil Heroes Day event hel*in Markham, &nt., on Nov. !, "#$.
8/10/2019 NDP MP commemorates event honouring fallen Tamil Tigers, likens it to Remembrance Day in parliament.odt
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The Tigers have been a designated terrorist gro#p #nder Canadian law since 0779,
when the Ro al Canadian Mo#nted -olice dismantled the gro#p’s branch offices in
Toronto and Montreal, which had raised millions to s#pport the conflict. : half/do"en
Toronto/area men were convicted of s#ppl ing arms and e4#ipment to the rebels.
Since the fighting ended five ears ago, !eroes Da has become, for some, a da toreflect on the toll of the br#tal civil war, which not onl decimated the Tigers b#t also
killed an #ntold n#mber of civilians. #t on his website, Sri &anka/Canadian %o#rnalist
D. .S. ;e ara% wrote !eroes Da is not and has never been a national da of Tamil
mo#rning.) Rather, it was an intensel cond#cted partisan event <of the Tigers, for the
Tigers and b the Tigers.’ )
-*rian yl*+)P Steven /laney : video of Ms. Sitsabaiesan’s speech in the Commons T#esda was posted on her
5o#T#be page . 't showed her reading from a prepared statement that began, Mr.
Speaker as Canadians of Tamil heritage in November we commemorate two important
events, Remembrance Da and the Tamil !eroes Da . This month s mboli"es the bea#t of life beca#se we remember all those who sacrifice their lives for the rest of #s
to live in peace and freedom.)
Deepak *bhrai, parliamentar secretar of foreign affairs and international h#man
rights, said there was no den ing ethnic Tamils faced discrimination in Sri &anka, b#t
o# can’t compare Remembrance Da to Tamil !eroes Da .)
8/10/2019 NDP MP commemorates event honouring fallen Tamil Tigers, likens it to Remembrance Day in parliament.odt
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The Calgar M- said it was a disservice to veterans) to make s#ch a parallel.“ ' think it needs to be pointed o#t to her that o# can’t compare the two, o# can’t
compare a terrorist organi"ation to people who have fo#ght for core Canadian val#es,)
he said.
-osted b Thavam
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