Tamils - a Trans State Nation

Canadian Student Associations Condemn
Sri Lanka Army Attack on Students in Jaffna, Tamil Eelam

1.Academic Society of Tamil Students (ACTS), Ottawa also in jpg
2.University of Toronto Tamil Students Association, Toronto also in PDF
3.Canadian Federation of Students, Ontario also in PDF

[see also  Sri Lanka's Continuing War Against Eelam Tamils in the Shadow of a Ceasefire ]

21/22 December 2005

1. Academic Society of Tamil Students (ACTS),
Carleton University & University of Ottawa,
Ottawa, Canada. actsottawa@gmail.com 

Academic Society of Tamil Students (ACTS) strongly condemns the attack on Tamil students by the Sri Lankan army in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. At least seven demonstrators including Prof. N. Perinpanathan, a Senior Lecturer, and a student leader of the medical faculty T. Kandeepan were wounded when Sri Lankan troopers open fire at the peaceful march. The students and the faculty members of University of Jaffna were protesting the rape and the killing of a twenty year old Tamil woman by Sri Lankan sailors near Jaffna. The sexual assault, killing and the attack on students took place at the time of mounting international concern over the stability of the ceasefire between Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers.

The ACTS consider this attack a major ceasefire violation and calls on the Canadian government to impress upon Sri Lanka to refrain from actions that will put the ceasefire in jeopardy. Noting that attack on civilians are on the rise after the appointment of a hard-line army commander by the Sri Lankan President, We urge the government of Sri Lanka to ensure the safety of the civilians.

Jaffna, the heartland of Tamil homeland, is under military occupation for the last several years. Large area of land belongs to locals were confiscated and military camps were built. Over 100,000 people were displaced and languishing in refugee camps due to continued military occupation.

Mr. Gobiraj Thiruchelvam, President, Carleton Universtity
Mr. Umatharan Gopalasundaram, Vice President, Carleton Universtity
Mr. Jegajeethan Visuvalingam, Vice President, Universtity of Ottawa

The University of Toronto Tamil Students Association,
7 Hart House Circle, Toronto M5S 3H3, ON ·
Web: http://stg.utorontotsa.org  · Email: ut_tsa@hotmail.com

Students Revolted by Brutal Attacks on Tamil Students

December 22, 2005

The University of Toronto Tamil Students Association strongly condemns the recent attacks of innocent Tamil students by the Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. These attacks on non-violent protestors are a demonstration of hatred to the Tamil population and are in major violation given the current ceasefire agreement between both the government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The army personnel who entered the premises of the University of Jaffna Tuesday afternoon, took open fire, charged tear gas and wounding atleast seven students and school officals. The students and staff of the Jaffna University were attacked mercilessly on their way to the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to hand over a petition protesting against the conduct of the military in recent times. Just recently, 20 year old Tharsini Ilyathamby was found brutally raped, strangled to death and left to rot in a well near a Sri Lankan Navy post in Punguduthivu. The students were angered and saddened by the ongoing antrocietes by the Sri Lanlkan army against the Tamil students and wished that these concerns be raised immediately.

These assaults infringe the students' fundamental right to learn and express their viewpoints freely without fear of imprisonment or worse. We believe the government of Sri Lanka should uphold this fundamental right. It saddens us all to witness these events during a critical stage in the ceasefire agreement.

We the Tamil Students Association, urge the Canadian government and fellow student organizations to condemn these brutal and inhumane activities and further encourage the international community to take positive steps to contain further violations by the Sri Lankan Army. Those perpetrators involved in these atrocities should and must be brought to justice.

Ranjith Mahendranathan President,
Tamil Students' Association University of Toronto (St. George Campus)

 

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December 21, 2005

President of Sri Lanka, the Right Honourable Mahinda Rajapaksa
15/5, Baladaksha Mawatha, 3rd Floor Colombo 3, Sri Lanka

Dear President Mahinda,

On behalf of the 250,000 Ontario members of the Canadian Federation of Students, I am writing you to express concern regarding the reported assaults on university students, faculty members, and administrators from Jaffna University during a peaceful protest in Sri Lanka’s Jaffna Peninsula. In addition we understand that the Jaffna University Students’ Council Office has been under surveillance by Sri Lankan armed forces for the last two weeks with many students themselves being interrogated and having their National Identity Cards confiscated.

Freedom of expression is a fundamental right. It is incumbent on the government of Sri Lanka to protect students’ right to learn and express their viewpoints in a peaceful and safe environment. This means not only removing the military from within and around Jaffna University campus, but also ensuring that the basic necessities of learning are in place for all students. We understand, for example, that the largely Tamil student population at the Vavooniya campus of Jaffna University still does not have the proper infrastructure to properly conduct their learning.

Canadian college and university students strongly believe that a democratic citizenry is enhanced by universal access to education. We oppose any barriers that prevent students from accessing or properly participating in their education. If the above allegations are true they would constitute egregious violations of the rights of students in the Northern region of Sri Lanka and would deserve international attention.

Students in Canada still recall the reports of intimidation and torture of a student leader from the same university just 4 years ago. Our hope was that in the wake of that incident the Sri Lankan government would move toward reconciliation and that steps would be taken to ensure the safety of students, and indeed, all citizens. We are particularly disturbed, therefore, to hear similar stories of organised violence being perpetrated on students just this month. Canadian students look forward to your government’s swift condemnation of any and all acts of violence against students and other members of Jaffna University.

Sincerely,
Jesse Greener
Ontario Chairperson
Canadian Federation of Students
Copied: Prime Minister Paul Martin (Canada),
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Norway)