Tamil Canadians Disappointed over the Canadian Ban on the Tamil Tigers

On April 7, 2006, the Canadian Government listed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or the Tamil Tigers as a Terrorist organization under Bill C-36. This decision is to be harmful as both the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka are currently engaged in an internationally brokered peace process as equal partners. This decision, at such a sensitive time, will tip the delicate balance which has brought both parties to the negotiating table and hinder the prospects for long term peace and stability in the region.

As part of the Conservative Party platform in the most recent elections, the current government stated its support of the peace process in Sri Lanka, by way of a written statement. The government stated that it's committed to increasing Canada's role in the peace process. Canadian Tamils are quite disappointed at such a sharp contrast in policy within weeks of taking office.

Canada's international reputation as peacemakers, humanitarians and civil libertarians will suffer greatly as a result of this decision. The government of Canada should reconsider the move to list the LTTE under C-36 in order to facilitate the peace process in Sri Lanka. The Canadian Tamils are extremely concerned at the possibility of restrictions on Canadian Tamils civil rights, contrary to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

We believe that the Canadian Government should take into consideration the facts that have prevented the Sri Lankan state to provide equal status to the minorities living in their country.

70\% of the land occupied by the Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka is under the administration of the Tamil Tigers.
The millions of dollars pledged for Tsunami relief by Donor countries was never provided to those people under the Tiger controlled areas as the joint mechanism (PTOMS) put in place to share the aid was never implemented.
The only help received by the Tsunami victims in these areas was from the Tamil Tigers, expatriate Tamils and specific NGOs working on specific projects months after the tragedy.
In the island of Sri Lanka, the record shows that during the past fifty years and more, the intent and goal of all Sinhala governments (without exception) has been to secure the island as a Sinhala Buddhist nation with no regard for the minorities.

As Canadian Tamils, We wish to express our disappointment and shock over this decision taken by our Canadian government.