GO TO CANADA?

MEET NIKULUS FROM MARKHAM, ONTARIO 

(By Hasaka Ratnamalala - Mississauga, Ontario)

Another ship load of Tamil so called refugees, heading towards Canadian coast; this time more than a year after the end of Sri Lanka’s conflict. After more than 250,000 IDPs resettled, more than million land mines were cleared, hundreds of child soldiers and LTTE carders were rehabilitated, eastern province elections and general election were held and when a time the country is rapidly going into normalcy, this ship load of Tamils coming to claim refuge in Canada.

According to pro LTTE media in Canada their representative in Toronto David Poopalapillai and  members of Canadian Council for Refugees and Amnesty International met high ranking ministers in Canadian conservative government in order to facilitate the Sun & Sea an another ship with Tamils looking for good time in Canada.

Canadian conservative government seems to be more accommodating and welcoming the people smugglers this time. The defence minister Mr. Peter MacKay says he is arranging medical treatments for incoming Tamils, this is a quite a “U” turn comparing to the last ship load of 76 Tamils which, the minister first ordered to arrest and investigate. Also, this time Canadian Defence minister avoiding using his power under Marine transportation security act. Where, he could order to turn the ship away, before the ship enters into Canadian territory.

United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) recently published guidelines for Sri Lankan refugees, states that “...Sri Lankans originating from the north of the country are no longer in need of international protection under broader refugee criteria or complementary forms of protection solely on the basis of risk of indiscriminate harm. In light of the improved human rights and security situation in Sri Lanka, there is no longer a need for group-based protection mechanisms or for a presumption of eligibility for Sri Lankans of Tamil ethnicity originating from the north of the country...” (HRC/EG/SLK/10/03 -5th July 2010). In the light of UNHCR guidelines Australia turn the ship away.

UNHCR guidelines further states that there is a risk in Sri Lanka for those who are affiliated with LTTE (Liberations Tigers of Tamil Ealam). Is that mean that all in the ship are LTTE members or affiliated to LTTE?

In Canada LTTE is a banned terrorist organization therefore affiliation to a terrorist organization is a direct cause for inadmissible to refugee status. There for who ever come to Canada under new UNHCR guidelines should be inadmissible to Canada. Therefore we could hear 200’s of “Sri Lankan government thinks they are members of LTTE...” stories from the boat Tamils.

So, what would be the case for those Indian Tamils in the ship? During the last 2 decades hundreds of Indian Tamils claim refugee status in Canada claiming that they are Sri Lankan Tamils. One such is a popular LTTE fundraiser, who made millions for LTTE and for himself now residing in a mansion in Oakville, Ontario. Unfortunately, Sri Lankan officials still failed to find how he got a fake Sri Lankan passport to collect his Canadian permanent residency status.

On the other hand, on the last ship with 76 Tamils, Canadian officials still couldn’t found the person or persons who pilot the ship. Whoever pilots the ship this far without even refuelling, should be an experienced pilot. Why such an experienced pilot or pilots are in such a humble stage, to claim refuge in Canada? Are they the pilots who run LTTE weapon and people smuggling ships for 30 years? Is there a support network for people smugglers from inside Canada and outside? These questions should apply to the incoming ship as well.

Whatever the outcome is Canada seems to have open door policy for more loads of ships with Tamils, affiliated with LTTE. Would the minister allow this new policy on people smugglers of other terrorist organizations? How about those who are affiliated with Hamas, Al-Qaida, Taliban and all other terrorist groups around the world?

So next time when the LTTE money collector Nikulas from Markham, Ontario thinks that he need some money, he could go to one of those countries once again and collect some terrorist refugees worth $ 10,000 per head and mix with around 90 to 100 Tamil Tigers and send it to Canada; without any question Canada will accept the ship. The Canadian defence minister has given the president. Then Canada do not need a High Commissions and embassies around the world because, if you want to go to Canada, you just need is to meet LTTE money collector Nikulas.