The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) in collaboration with the Tamil Youth Organization of Canada (TYO) on Thursday organized a seminar at the Hart House at the University of Toronto in Toronto to bring attention to the recent spate of human rights violations by the Sri Lankan forces in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

Jesse Greener, the Ontario chairperson of the CFS, an umbrella organization representating over a half million students across Canada, described the violence on students in the North and East as “a very saddening and troubling barrier to post secondary education the Tamil students in Sri Lanka are faced with.�

“We believe that this deserves international attention, the likes of which we are not currently seeing,� he said as he called on the Sri Lankan government to: remove troops from in and round Jaffna campus, stop random searches of students in and around the campus, ensure that students are protected and ensure that media had access to the North and East

“The Canadian Federation of Students will continue to stand with the Canadian Tamil community to address this issue. We will continue to stand with the Canadian Tamil students, arm in arm, to address this issue, he asserted as he vowed to speak out against anything that prevents students anywhere in the world from attending post secondary education or from achieving the education they need and deserve. Shamini Selvaratnam a previous women’s representative on the national executive of the CFS and Vice President of the York Federation of Students (YFS) spoke about the abuses of women’s rights in Sri Lanka. “I am both outraged and saddened by the events of December 16th,� she said referring to the brutal rape and murder of a young Tamil girl, Tharshini Ilaiyathamby

“Tharshini’s story has brought to life the on going human rights abuses committed by the Sri Lankan government and country’s armed forces against the Tamil population of the country,� she commented.

“There have been innumerable cases like that of Tharshini during the three decades of Sri Lankan army occupation of the north east of Sri Lanka. Only one case of rape and murder was raised at the international forum,� she said. Ms. Selvaratnam expressed alarm that neither Tharshini’s rape and murder nor the Sri Lankan army’s assault on student union leaders was reported in the international media.

Mr. Arnold Amber, President of the Canadian Broadcasting Cooperation (CBC) union and an executive of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), said about the attack on the students, “When you see these pictures you realize that this isn’t someone sitting on some room making up some story.�

Mr. Amber pointed out that those injured in the incident with the students included the vice chancellor of the university. “So we are not speaking about a demonstration by ‘rebellious’ young students taking some initiative against authority. It was the entire university mass that was there from the vice chancellor all the way down to the students,� he said.

Mr. Amber highlighted incidents of violence against journalist in recent times including the arrest of three Tamil journalists in Colombo and an attack on a newspaper by government forces. “When we see four or five things happen within the space of seven days, we know they are not isolated,� he said adding that part and parcel of what oppressive governments do to journalist is not just kill them but threaten and intimidate them.

According to Mr. Amber, while prohibitions of free media and expression exist between the two factions in Sri Lanka, “It also exists among the majority community in their part of the country.� “There is no doubt in my mind, having been there and seen it first hand, when the government runs a state-broadcaster and when the government runs a state newspaper and these are the largest voices that are heard in mass media, then you do not have free flow,� he said. “Sometimes the government cites the conflict as reason. But in effect, they are inflicting the people within their area with the same restrictions as they do other people,� he added.

“Right now is Sri Lanka, there is a sense of impunity. Impunity- people can kill and nothing happens. No one gets charged. No one gets sentenced to prison. It is impunity, he said citing it as one of the causes for decay of press freedom.

International relations coordinator with the Tamil Youth Organization of Canada, Ms. Abira Balendran also noted,� The systematic violation of human rights of women, educators, students and media representatives has occurred in the limelight of the international community. However, very little has been done to protect the civilians and condemn the perpetrators.� The “persistent attacks� on students not only violate the individual rights of these students, but also those of the entire society, according to Ms. Balendran.

Noting that there has been a lack of international attention on the issue, she urged Canada to play a leadership role in highlighting the excesses of the Sri Lankan forces. “Canada has been a key player in addressing human rights issues on an international platform. However, we ask that Canada take a more leadership position,� she said. “There needs to be a point where the world stops witnessing these atrocities and take a stand to protect the defenceless and the voiceless,� she stated.

Source: Tamil Canadian

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed