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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