“We Definitely Want A Change In Government”
David Poopalapillai
The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) is a non-profit organisation which serves as the voice of Tamil Canadians. Headquartered in Toronto, the CTC has 11 chapters across the country and an elected board of directors. The non-partisan organisation works as the community’s spokesperson on the municipal, provincial, federal and international levels.
David Poopalapillai is the national spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress:
Q: Does the Tamil diaspora feel there needs to be a change in government in order for the Tamils to feel Sri Lanka is their home too?
A: Definitely yes. First of all, there has to be a constitutional change to accommodate the long-standing political and other aspirations of Tamils and other minorities. Until it happens, it’s very difficult for the ordinary Tamils to feel that Sri Lanka is their motherland.
Q: Do you think there will ever be a day that Tamils will not feel like second class citizens in their own country?
A: It all depends on Sri Lankan politicians and how they address the root causes of the problem the country is confronting today. Other countries in the past have faced seemingly impossible problems but today, they are thriving because they worked to address those issues. For example, South Africa has come far from its history of discrimination and apartheid to be an inclusive and pluralistic society. We believe it can happen to Sri Lanka too if the country’s politicians have the political will to address the root causes of the problems the country is faced with. We very much look forward to that day.
Q: How does the Tamil diaspora feel about Gen. Sarath Fonseka if he runs for presidency?
A: The question for the Tamil Diaspora is whether anyone who gets elected to the presidency will genuinely address the grievances of the Tamils and other minorities. Also, whether the presidency can bring structural changes to the constitution and other areas to put Sri Lanka on the right track. It’s not a question of Sarath Fonseka or Mahinda Rajapaksa, it’s whether the future president of Sri Lanka has the political will to put the country on the right track.
Q: Would the Tamil diaspora support a change of government at this time?
A: We definitely want a change in government at least in the right direction.
Q: Does the Tamil diaspora feel Gen. Sarath Fonseka can address their needs?
A: It’s very hard to say at this time. Sri Lanka needs a powerful statesman not a politician to address the needs of the country at this critical juncture.
Q: If the Tamil diaspora had to choose a candidate to run for president, at this time who would they choose?
A: As we said earlier, Sri Lanka desperately needs a statesman not a politician to run the country. We haven’t seen that statesmanship so far in either of them.
Q: It has been said that the IDP camps will now be cleared within 180 days. Do you feel that this government has lived up to its promises?
A: No, certainly not. The IDP camps still remain despite the end of the 180 day mark on November 21. Once again, it shows how far the Sri Lankan government can fall short when it comes to Tamil issues.
This person is identified as a front-line ltter holding much of the assets of the banned organisation through extorted funds. The Toronto Police also suspect him to be controlling some of the violent tamil gangs in the city, although he claims to work with them. He certainly cannot speak for the apolitical tamil diaspora. The SLHC both in Ottawa and Toronto will confirm these. It is best the views of a more educated Lankan in the Canadian diaspora be sought.
ISS
This is completely wrong, Toronto Police have no such record on David what so ever or he would have been arrested, I am not sure where are getting your info from. CTC is a very credible org and has the right to speak out for the Tamil Diaspora. .
This cannot be true, the CTC has spoken for the Tamil Diaspora for years and I dont think what you are saying is true at all. If the Toronto Police suspected this man of supporting gangs he would be arrested, and I have not heard of any tamil gangs in Toronto for yrs. Also the SLHC is run by the Rajapakse’s, so already your credibility goes out the window
IF YOU GO TO SEA STREET AND DAM STREET and ALL the STREET in PETTAH YOU CAN SEE SINHALEASE TREAT TAMILS. MORE THAN HALF OF COLOMBO BELONGS TO TAMIL BUSINESS PEOPLE. YET STILL YOU’LL CLAIM THAT SL NOT TREATING TAMILS. WHAT A FUNNY WORLD WE ARE IN.
You think Colombo is Srilanka. You claim Half of Colombo belongs to Tamil business people therefore Tamils are treatel well in Srilanka. Certainly you are in a funny world indeed.
It looks like the commentator i.s.senguttuvan is not his/her real identity. Any one can use any name on the blog. It is an attempt to create a rift between the Tamils communities. This is the work of the people on the pay roll of the government!!
Yes. we can see that you are been paid by PRO LTTE CTC
Come on with these comments. Crow this has nothing to do with the CTC, CTC is speaks for the Tamil Diaspora and the Tamil minority in Canada supports this. Crow the CTC is not Pro LTTE and we both know this.
Runil and Venkai,
There is a limit to lying. Right there on the pages of the Toronto Star (reproduced in the Tamilweek) now Poopalapillai admits he’s being accused of the same thing you now deny. Fellers! The man is dead. Give up this extortion and collection of money from innocent Tamils who have escaped from here or else the fate that befell your friends in Paris where
21 have been sent to jail for the same offence will get you.
Senguttuvan
Yes he is being accused of this by who, BANDULA, doesnt Bandula work for the Gov and the Rajapske regime, exactly. He is trying to start something but he knows his job will not last once Fonseka gets elected anyways. But you should see the source of what you are saying, BANDULA lollolollol
To Runil and fellow-extortionists:
No gangs in Toronto? In addition to the AK Kannan and VVT gangs there are
at least 8 other in Canada (including Quebec), you buffoon. When that poor young fellow was clobbered to death at Scarborough recently as a result of your gang fights for “extortion collections” Poopalapillai was issuing sadhu
statements, to keep the Police away from him, lamenting gang fights are bringing a bad name to Tamils in Canada. It is – because of scum like you nearly 280,000 decent Tamils are called Tiger supporters. Are’nt you ashamed Sinhalese had to come and save Tamils from a mad man and his gang. Even the entire diaspora Tamils are rejoicing. One of these days KP wll give away your name too – and all those decent, hardworking Tamils in the diaspora will heave a sigh of relief.
Senguttuvan
First of all I am not pro LTTE, second the young man who died was not in a gang fight according to police, see you are not telling the whole story. Second no need for insults as we are having a debate.
Sri Lanka’s modern-day genocide
[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 December 2009, 14:27 GMT]
“”Genocide” is too limiting a term in any case. In recent years, governments have not necessarily been exterminating entire subgroups en masse with crystal-clear intent. Yet some governments show no qualms about shelling huge numbers of ethnic minority civilians trapped in confined war zones, as we saw in Sri Lanka earlier this year. More common still are governments that kick one ethnic group off its land and force the people into displacement camps where they become permanent wards of international humanitarian agencies — think Darfur, for example, to mention just one place commonly labeled a “slow-motion genocide,” says an article by Andrew Stroehlein, Communications Director at the International Crisis Group (ICG), in the December issue of the widely read Foreign Policy magazine.
Excerpts from the article titled “Never Again: What the Holocaust can’t teach us about modern-day genocide,” follows:
Andrew Stroehlein, ICG’s Communications Director
There is probably no more appropriate single location than Auschwitz-Birkenau for grasping the scope of the Nazi horror. But the unprecedented and unequaled nature of that horror makes it somewhat inappropriate as a useful lesson for preventing genocide today. When you’re waiting for something that looks like Birkenau, it’s almost too easy to say, “never again.”
Ponnapillai(Poopapillai), Liar, thief. gangster, terrorist. LTTE propagadist. Eelamist. Has no right to be a Sri Lankan. He is a disgrace to Sri Lanka. He threw false “Genocide” alegation against Sri Lanka especially at Sinahelese people and tarnished good name of a great nation in foreign soils for years. He is the main culprit of “Genocide” allegation campaign against Sri Lanka. He should not be let step in to Sri Lanka soil. Shoot him at sight instead! He is a deadly terrorist, no peace with him. He cant be rehabilitated. There is no necessacity of change of Govts in SL. It is not a regime like George Bush in USA, or Sadam regime in Iraq. It is a democratic goevrnment successfully eliminated terrorism under western. Regimes are run by dictators. Those Elamists know MR govt will never allow a Eelam in Sri Lanka, neither will General SF. We have no issues with Tamils. We will treat them the best way we can. Thats how Sri Lankans including sinhalese-buddhists think of Tamils in Sri Lanka. http://www.youtube.com/NoEalamInSL
This guy who ever belongs to this name, must be insane.He gets worked up for no reason .For using a phrase like “Shoot him at sight”,suggest me that he is from the Sri Lankan army.Choice of words he uses in his comment shows that he has some meidcal compilcations.I suggest that he should go see a doctor.This is for his own good and good of the nation.He is not helping to resolve the problem.
Gordan
Wow talk about hating on someone, wow you get worked up. And then “We will treat them the best way we can” you sound like you work for the Gov. What a dumb thing to say. He has no right to be Sri Lankan, you decided who is and who is not?
No wonder people Srilankans are vilified in foreign countries. Listening to people like you, they will think all the Srilankans are damn terrorists.
Credibility of sri lanka goes down the drain by those irresponsibe people who post irresponsible comments. Who ever speaks the truth,or talks about human rights, has been branded by the pro-government supporters as a traitor.David is a moderate, who is trying to bridge the gap between Tamils and Sinhalese .Poor David is at the receiving end this time around.No matter what,keep up the good work David.
Gordan
1000 % right, Keep up the good work David, CTC & global Tamils.
Sinhalese people are very nice and cordial but some mad dogs like mahindha and co spoiled the whole generation of Sinhalese people.These mad dogs never or do not want to listen the teaching of Buddha. Buddha teaches love and peace.But these idiots ask who is Buddha and how much the price of love and peace.Let the Sinhalese learn dharma patha from our great leader, Praba. Unfortunately he is good for the bad. Its our misfortune.
Well said Gordon
I don’t know much about this Mr. Poopaalapillai. But whatever he says is correct. Sri Lanka needs a statesman. Both communities should look up to the Statesman and be proud of.
Mr Mandela is loved by both whites and blacks in South Africa. He was imprisoned by the white regime for 25 years. He had no grudge against the whites. Yet, when the South Africa won the Rugby world cup, he said to the Rugby team captain ” I am proud of you”. But the captain who is white replied “No Mr. Mandela, it is you that we are proud of.” I am sure we have leaders like Mr Mandela in Sri Lanka. How long it will take for them to come out?
We should take the entire blame for not having a statesman. We supported heros who got fame by killing people. We still call them heros and ready to give the crown to them. We forget that it takes more courage to forgive and say sorry than fight. The true soldier is not the person who fights the war. True soldier is who avoids the war. These are the words from great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln.
Can anyone of our candidates be a statesman? Only time will tell.
Absolutely! Agree withRajesh.
Sri Lanka needs a statesman. I also believe there needs to be a politcal solution for Tamil people.
THIS IS NOT COMMENTARY OR YOUR VIEWS, IT IS CLEARLY A HATE CRIME AND MUST BE, YOU GUYS HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO PRODUCTIVELY. PLEASE DO NOT SPREAD HATE. THE COUNRY IS ALREADY GONE TO DOGS. PLEASE LET THE POOR PEOPLE LIVE IN PEACE.
Some one voted the dogs to power, so who should be blamed for that? Of course it is the poor people who get crushed in the end.
Senguttuvan is nothing but a moron. A by product of racist Rajapakse government. How can we expect Sri Lanka to have peace and harmony when racist like these guys make the Tamils to look for alternate ways to safeguard their people.
Please read Sarth Chindanaya. “You can indentify a Sin Ha Lease from any others by the way he writes.”. All third class thoughts with third class language.
Fellows Mahinda is going to do a humanitarian operation on Sarath. Please wait and see. After that we can see who is better.
Anyone can talk about anything …but sticking to the reality based on the devastation made by the majority Sinhala dominated power, it is a blow to the humanity. The world has failed to protect 30,000 innocent lives, and failed to voice for the justice. Now all I hear about Sri Lanka….Barbed wire Democracy….Execution of Tamils by Sri Lankan soldiers….Illegal detention of 300,000 Tamils, Boycott Sri Lanka, Number one human rights violator and No media freedom and much more. Are these good terms for any western societies to have economical relationship with Sri Lanka???….So for long run Sinhala extremist will lead the country into more poverty.
David Poopalapillai is the national spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress, and The Canadian Tamil Congress is a non-profit organisation which serves as the voice of Tamil Canadians. These are facts, any one disputing this fact wanted Rajapakse thugs to remain in Power for next six years.
Let my Tamil people live with freedom or i will teach my children and rest of the generation to fight for Tamils Freedom. So, if the President of Sri Lanka is smart, it is in his best interest to let the tamils live in freedom.
CTC is not LTTE. It represents Tamils in Canada. SL & Bandula always brand anyone speak for Tamils as terrorists. That is how Mahinda & gang does politics in Srilanka. For God’s sake, be sincere. Tamils have grievences and those have to be solved for a lasting peace in Srilanka. Sadly, Sinhalese never had a statesman.
” SL & Bandula always brand anyone speak for Tamils as terrorists. That is how Mahinda & gang does politics in Srilanka” 1000% you are right!!! when the Sinhala people going to understand this??? hopefully soon
For the SLHC and the SL govt., who ever speaks for Tamils are Terrorists? The Tamils and others in Sri Lanka who speaks for Tamils rights and against the Human Rights Violation against Tamils were murdered. Here in Canada the SLHC hired many people to work against the Tamils who speak the truth about the rights and safety of Tamils in Sri Lanka and Canada. Where ever there is an interview they will make nasty comments to make the SLHC happy. instead of commenting on who is giving the interview, see the truth in his interview and try your best to help Tamils in Sri Lanka to live in peace with dignity for the rest of their lives. If you are really respect Tamils you will do this instead of labelling people who speaks for Tamils as LTTE supporters.
LTTE SLTE SLHC i am confused.