An ex-Sri Lankan on migrants' flight
by Vasuhi (Balachandran) Collins
I was surprised to read that, according to the 2006 census, there are no Sri Lankan families living in the Victoria area and none who list Tamil as their mother tongue (Aug. 14).
Admittedly, the Sri Lankan population in Victoria is not large, but we are at least one Sri Lankan family living in Victoria and have been here since 1980.
My parents came to Canada from Sri Lanka almost 40 years ago, before the height of the civil war. My sisters and I were raised with an appreciation for our Tamil culture and a keen awareness of what has been happening in Sri Lanka. It has been sad to see the beautiful country where my parents grew up devastated by the civil war of the past 30 years.
It has been interesting to read the articles and comments about the ship arriving in Victoria; however, I am saddened by the comments of "send them back" made by people who seemingly have no knowledge as to why the Tamils are seeking refugee status. Sri Lanka has not been a safe place for them to live.
My extended family was in Sri Lanka until the late 1980s, at which time they arrived in Toronto. They left the only home and culture they ever knew, but did so knowing that they had a chance to provide their families a better life here, a life free from conflict and war.
I am very thankful to have been born in Canada; if my parents had not come to Canada when they did, life would have been very different for me and my sisters. Who knows? You might have found us on this very boat. - Vasuhi (Balachandran) Collins
Letter to the Editor, published in Victoria Times Colonist
Courtesy: Victoria Times Colonist ~ Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/Lankan+migrants+flight/3407389/story.html#ixzz0wsnS1QNA
7 Comments
Vasuhi (Balachandran) Collins
Thanks for your article.
I think, many Canadians did not know what is happening in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Propaganda Machine was in overdrive to pour dirt on All Tamils in Canada and branded them as “criminals, terrorists …”
Sri Lanka High Commissioner said on BBC – “ They ( the Tamil refugees ) all criminals” .
Does Madame include one year baby and 40 or so children on the boat?
Madame, the Sri Lanka High Commissioner, seems to me , is relying on the racist stereotyping of all Tamils as criminals -in order to fuel public fears in Canada.
Oh, to be in Canada the most compassionate nation in the world is my new theme song.
I have three cousins all Jaffna Tamils who live in Vancouver and know of a few more.
Once the paperwork is all sorted out, I am positive that these would be Canadians will contribute tremoundously towards making Canada a better place than what it is already. a j.
Vasuki
Many thanks for your timely article. I have visited Canada in 1996, 97, 98 and I used to call my Good Friend Kumar and my university batch made Shanthi who are in Vancouver(both from Jaffna). compare to Toronto the amount of our people may less in numbers but still they are there.this is the way many things has been hidden under blanket to avoid the presence of the Tamils.
good job keep it up
Why come this Canadian-born person is claiming to be an ex-Sri Lankan ? What cynicism and unadulterated BS !!!
45,000 dollars = 45,000 x 108 = 4,860,000 SL rupees. each of them paid to come to Canada.
Can any one tell us how to make this money in Sri Lanka? It is not easy to make such money in Sri Lanka by any means except ILLEAGAL ways such as Drug smuggling or other.
Painting a picture as refugees is not acceptable. I hope many of them have the chance to be deported. Canadian Authorities now approached the INTERPOL to trace the evidences of these people in Sri lanka.
Miss Vasuki,
How can you be critical of the madam ambassador? The whole world knows that the vicious recruited child soldiers. So she was right when she stated “some” then “most” as terrorist. Including the 2 unborn, these Tamil Tiger terrorist already have conscription list for the unborn.
These Tamil people should be deported to Sri Lanka where our right honorable president Rajapakse and his brothers will offer them asylum and safety in destination unknown in Vanni. Where these poor people have their privacy and will be out of the limelight- not even their relatives or the UN will invade these poor people privacy. There will be no public inquiries or case by case discriminatory analysis. They will treat just like another Tamil citizen of Sri Lanka.
Our honorable Rajapakse has appealed for loans in Singapore to sustain Sri Lankan airlines , thus these people may prefer to travel by Air to Sri Lanka, if not they can climb back on the boat and come to Hambntota Harbor( this has to be verified with the Chinese authorities and whether they will permit any boats to dock there).
Our right honorable Mr.Rajapakse has also introduce Chinese into the Sri Lankan curriculum thus these poor people will have access to the global economy – the rumors about Chinese sweat shops are vile ploys by the imperialistic West to discredit Sri Lankan and her allies.
Our right honorable Mr.Rajapakse also secured an aid package of 20 tons of dates from Saudi Arabia (no it was not Ramadan) to be given as staple diet to the refugees. Right honorable Gotha Rajapakse will be present at Villa De Detorture in Vanni to personally receive these people.
Tamil people have to be pragmatic and embrace our kindness and Buddhist magnanimity. We encourage our citizens to return home thus we can apply for a new loan from IMF, UNCHR or ADB to rehabilitate these poor people. We welcome everyone back home- (no no not the Sinhala expats in the Middle East).
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Dear Vasuki!
Please forgive me for the mistake I have made earlier. My good friends Kumar & Shanthi are living in Victoria since nineties with whom I made contact in 96,97,98.any how I am pleased for the effort you have taken to tell the truth to the world.
Ram.Ramalingam