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Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka

SANSAD Public Forum

Sunday, May 24, 2009 2-5 p.m.
Cafe Kathmandu
2779 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Discussants:

C. Premarajah, Hari Sharma, L. Pathmayohan, Raj Chouhan (MLA), and Peter Julian (MP)

Please note that we also plan to use the forum for raising funds for humanitarian relief for the Tamil victims of the military assaults.

Tamils in Sri Lanka have, over the decades, been systematically deprived of their rights and reduced to second class citizenship. Now this minority is facing genocidal violence as the government pursues its military solution to the insurgency led by the LTTE.

Rejecting international appeals for ceasefire and access of relief agencies to the civilians trapped in the war zone and in camps, the Sri Lanka government has continued its bombardment, including rocket attacks on makeshift hospitals in the “no fire” zones that have killed hundreds of patients. Over 6500 innocent civilians have been killed and more than 11000 injured. There are no figures for those who have disappeared and those who have been buried in mass graves in Vannu. There are over 300,000 internally displaced people (IDP). About 185,000 are in camps without basic necessities.

This genocidal violence must be stopped. The murder, imprisonment, and intimidation of journalists daring to report on the situation must be stopped. We must support the Tamil diaspora in Canada in their effort to provide humanitarian relief for the victims of war in Sri Lanka.

As the Sri Lanka government reaches the stage where they are getting ready to declare a total victory over the Tamil enclaves, it is very important that the issues that led to Tamil militancy and civil war are sufficiently addressed, and that the government follows policies to ensure justice for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. This is also the responsibility of the international community.

Please join us at the public forum, and please help us raise funds for humanitarian relief.

Marking our History since Komagatamaru

SANSAD and friends are proud to present…

100 years since Continuous Journey:
Reflection, Resistance, Celebration

Surrey Community Forum with Film and Panelists

Saturday, November 22, 2008
Doors open at 1:30 p.m, Program begins at 2:00 p.m. sharp

Conference Rooms G 1205A and G 1205B
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
12666 72nd Ave., Surrey
From Scott Road Skytrain station a short bus ride on #319.

Snacks provided!

FILM  Continuous Journey: An award-winning film by Ali Kazimi. This documentary focuses on the history of the Komagata Maru, while drawing connections between Canada’s broader immigration history as well as disaporic anti-colonial sentiment.

* Panelists and Commentators include:

 ALI KAZIMI: Film-maker of “Continuous Journey” and internationally renowed filmmaker who has won over thirty awards and honours for his films including Continuous Journey, Runaway Grooms, Narmada, and others.

 KABIR JOSHI – VIJAYAN: Grade 10 student and inspiring youth from Toronto. His activism includes “Hood to Hood” to unify youth especially in working-class immigrant communities and Toronto Haiti Action Committee.

DR. BALBIR GURM: Registerd nurse with a UBC doctorate in Education (Policy and Leadership). She is the President of VIRSA, a community non-profit that addresses South Asian youth violence.

HARSHA WALIA: South Asian community activist, writer, and legal researcher. She is involved with SANSAD, No One Is Illegal, Radical Desis network, and other struggles for social justice.

DR. HARI SHARMA: President of South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy and Professor Emeritus at SFU. He is a long-time political activist and author in Canada and India.

DR. SUNERA THOBANI: UBC Professor of Women’s Studies. She has also been involved with the National Action Committee on the Status of Women and Canada Researchers and Academics of Colour for Equity Network.

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Organized by SANSAD

Co-sponsored and supported by VIRSA, Kwantlen Faculty Association, No One Is Illegal Surrey Urban Youth Project, Progressive Inter-Cultural Community Services (PICS), Komagatamaru Heritage Foundation.

For further information, contact
Hari Sharma (SANSAD): 604-420-2972 or sharma@sfu.ca
Harjap Grewal (SANSAD): 778-552-2099 or harjap@gmail.com
Balbir Gurm (VIRSA): 778-578-0620 or president@virsa.ca

This event is part of a a week-long activities in the Vancouver area to mark over one hundred years of South Asian presence in Canada and to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the Continuous Journey requirement. For a full listing of events visit: http://southasianevents.blogspot.com/