Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy (CaTpad) call upon the Tamil Diaspora to act responsibly and wisely.

Press Release                                                                                     Toronto 18 June 2011

The Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy call on the Tamil Diaspora to act responsibly to find out a possible way for a reconciliation that would help the Tamil people living in Srilanka to find an amicable political solution. The immediate need of the hour in the North and East is to rehabilitate the people affected by the war and reconstruct and develop the provinces to create an atmosphere for the people to run their lives smoothly.

The Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy wants the Tamil Diaspora should also take the major responsibility for the destructions and death of Tamils by contributing morally and monetarily aiding the separatist war, which has lead to this disaster. Instead of blaming one side, the Tamil Diaspora should learn the lesson from the past and play an active role by negotiating with the Government of Srilanka to find the ways and means to overcome the mistrust and to find every possible way to build the lives of the affected people.

The Tamil Diaspora should keep one thing in mind that the request made by the Tamil Diaspora for war crimes will not bring any solution to the problem faced by the Tamils living in Srilanka instead will lead to more division and enmity between communities which will hinder the political and the reconciliation process. The pressure tactics on the Government of Srilanka (GOSL) would not be a wise act as the Tamil Diaspora thinks but opening a dialogue with GOSL and to negotiate for a speedy process would be more meaningful to the problems. Let the Tamil Diaspora not fall a prey to the emotions which will only endanger the political and reconciliation process that could lead to a total collapse of the existing process and make life difficult for the next generations of Tamils living in Srilanka.

The Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) is yet to submit it findings and progressing in meeting the affected ones and collecting evidence which are being recorded and taken as credible evidence. The Tamil Diaspora should make use of the existing mechanism set up by the Government to address its grievances and should not stand against it. By pressing for a new mechanism will only lead to the collapse of the existing one and will delay the justice to the affected ones. Any such move by the Tamil Diaspora will be an attempt not only to deny the justice to the affected but to the collapse of the entire peace and political process of reconciliation.    We Canadian Tamils for peace and Democracy request the Tamil Diaspora to make use of the opportunity in hand to negotiate and cooperate in the process of healing wounds and mistrust which will pave a way for a permanent political settlement. We also call on the Tamil Diaspora to take a lead and active role in rehabilitation and reconstruction projects to make the Province a better place to live.

I.Yasothapillai      (On behalf of the Central Committee)