Tamil-Canadians Vote For Independent State In Sri Lanka
By Cassandra Mascarenhas
Canadian Tamils of Sri Lankan descent have voted almost unanimously in favour of the creation of a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka, claims a group that organised a “referendum” on the issue.
The Coalition for Tamil Elections in Canada said 99.8 per cent of the 48,583 people who turned out to vote Saturday supported an autonomous state in the island nation.
The voting process was managed and monitored by ES&S, a voting machine manufacturer, the coalition said. Voters were registered before casting their ballots, following instructions from ES&S.
Similar votes in Norway and France have also yielded overwhelming support for an independent Tamil state, organisers say.
“I aspire for the formation of the independent and sovereign state of Tamil Eelam in the North and East territory of the island of Sri Lanka on the basis that the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka make a distinct nation, have a traditional homeland and have the right to self-determination,” Saturday’s vote statement read.
It was drafted 33 years ago when Tamil discontent over the majority Sinhalese government prompted calls for the creation of a separate state.
The issue of Tamil autonomy has loomed large over much of Sri Lanka’s recent history. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a Tamil rebel group, fought the Sinhalese government for 23 years for an independent state. That rebellion was crushed in May by the government.
The latest vote occurred between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time Saturday across Canada. Most of the polling stations were in the Greater Toronto Area, where most Canadian Tamils of Sri Lankan descent are believed to be concentrated.
Ballots were also cast in Montreal, Ottawa, Cornwall, Ont., Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Halifax.
“This will, they hope, give them a stronger political voice both on the world scene and also on the Canadian scene, in the sense that they can say to the government: ‘This is what Tamil Canadians — who are Canadian voters after all — want,’” said Arthur Sheps, a history professor at the University of Toronto.
Tamilnet.com, a pro-Tamil website, reported that Adam Giambrone — a Toronto councillor who is considering running for the city’s mayoralty next year — gave the vote his blessing.
Although the head is severed, the tiger tail is twitching! Anyway who cares what a few Canadian tamils think. Politicians , whichever country they are in, do the dumbest things and say the stupidest things to get a few votes more!. Adam Gimme-a-backbone is no exception.
Seems like the tigers can’t muster even a half of the tamil population living in Canada….. Sorry for you guys, this is what happens you don’t have power to deter the people u ought to rule…. Nevertheless try voting for an independent tamil state in side Canada. You can start by mustering as many people as you can and start a living hood in remote northern regions. U can also take some Canadian politician to go with you. After all without white man’s help u won’t survive for long. Then after 2-3 years you can declare the new state of Canada the “Canadian thamil ealem”. Following year you guys can declare independence. As a help from our side we will make sure that the “Canadian thamil ealem” is recognized. Deal !!!!!!!
Dear Potta & Chandana
Please do not be dismissive of the democratic expression of the Tamil people. In 1977 the Tamil people voted overwhelmingly for the same mandate. This non-violent democratic expression of their wish was responded to by the South by yet another pogrom in which Tamils were massacred and their property looted and destroyed. Look at it this way. Two brothers are always fighting between them as long as they live under one roof, Because the stronger one is alawys beating the weaker one and the weaker one is alaways resiting it. You build them two houses next to each other, one doesn’t dominate the other and they start living apart. Having removed the domination of one over the other they now build their own lives as free people and start to realise they have lot more in common and live helping each other although they are now living seperately. This is the fundamental basis of federalism. Look at India, Switzaland and UK. The nations that have been arch enemies in the past have formed the biggest union in europe bringing down trade barriers and immigration barriers. This is called the European Union. This would have never happen for example if England was under the rule of French or vice versa. It is the sense of freedom and a feeling of equality that make people become friends.
Understand this fundamental tenet of friendship. By ruling over the Tamil people by force against their will you may have a “unitary” Sri Lanka, but not a United Sri Lanka. Move away from this mind set and support an initiative which lets the Tamil people rule themselves feeling free and build a truly united Sri Lanka in which Tamils and Sinhalaese live as friends. A friendship built between truly free people who respect each other. It is the domination of one by the other that is blinding both that we all share the same ancestry.
Well Said Friend.
People: both sinhala chauvunist and Sri lankan ‘patriots’ and Tamil extreme nationalist, operate with a polaristic approach to the theme of Federalism and Governance. you either support an unitary sri lanka or you have to support a complete succession from Sri lanka, the grey sone in between is neglected, erased and often perceived as a compromisation of vastly lower value to their original political standpoint, talking federalism is often seemed unfavourable for the political elite and then it is ‘educated’ to the populace at large as a great political loss and as an act of Treachery, and unfortunately they succeed in the sense that greater segments of the populace at both ‘front’ at least in their public social and political actions seems to follow this polaristic approach.
N.K Ratnam wonderfull said about the essence of federalism and how it better will serve peacefull island society for the populace at large and how we can use such an governance as the platform for rebuilding, reconciliating and developing the island in an equal way, with the highest degree of satisfaction for all group of people in this beutiful island of our. (unitary and united is not the same, well said!)
An India and west friendly federal state with Sinhalese or De facto federal state with India is the future option for us. A negotiation on the line of federalism with Ranil failed in the past. An attempt to create a de facto federal state with India also failed in 1987 because of the conflict between Praba and Rajiv. Both options are still open for us. Our future generation will chose one of it. If Sinhalese don’t want to live with us in a federal system we will be left with no other option other than working towards a de facto federal state.
Why should the Tamils live with the Sinhala. There have been too many acts of discrimination and genocide. The Diaspora has extreme wealth in comparison to Sri Lankans at large. This will only lead to fighting again. It would be much easier to just separate. They will develop their country very fast and you can develop even just as fast because the south has better infrastructure. You will be the country that has the best market access to Tamil Eelam. It would lead to so many jobs, much lower taxes and a far better economy. Internet would be much cheaper. Governance much better as you would have to compete with Tamil Eelam which would most likely be governed better because of Diaspora. Market knowledge easy to obtain by copying. Sri Lankan debt could be divided with Tamils taking on a high proportion of debt because they want freedom so bad. Sri Lanka economy would grow fast because guaranteed safety.
After the arrival of the Buddhist Monks and conversions to Buddhism of Indigenous Tamils; Eelam was devided into two nations; Singh(Buddhist flag)Eelam(Hela) and Tamileelam.
Eelam = Singheelam(Singhela) + Tamileelam
Eelam became Ceylon when they(Western foreigners) merged these two nations.
Tamils want their Tamils or Eelam or Tamileelam.
It is better and it is time to MERGE our Singheela Brethren(our old Tamils) with us.
Tamils must VOTE for “Eelam” and “Tamil”s.
THE TAMILS WHO PROPOSE THIS SHOULD ESTABLISH A TAMIL STATE IN CANADA……….THE CANADIAN GOVT: WILL RENDER FULL ECONOMIC SUPPORT:::::::::: TAMILS IN NORWAY SHOULD DO THE SAME