Full Script of Speech By Prof. Elagu . V. Elagupillai at Pongu Thamil in Queen’s Park, Toronto, September 25, 2004
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Members of the Tamil Students Association, Vicar General Fr. Emmanuel, Special Guests, Federal Provincial and Local Government authorities, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am honoured to be with you this evening at this historic Pongu Thamil Celebration at the Queens Park Grounds in our wonderful city of Toronto.
I want to thank the members of the Canadian Tamil Students Association for the invitation.
This celebration also marks the occasion of the “United Nations International Peace Day.”
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed September 21st Day as International Peace Day.
Pongu Thamil Toronto 2004 (photo courtesy TamilNet)
The Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, in his Peace Day Message, asked every nation in the world, every organization in the world to conduct activities appropriately to heighten the awareness of Peace Day.
Indeed, it is gratifying that the Canadian Tamil Students Association has taken upon itself the task of glorifying International Peace Day through the Tamil Awareness – Pongu Tamil Celebration. I salute our students for their initiatives.
The choice of the venue for this celebration is also very appropriate. Toronto is the home of people originated from every part of the world. It is the most multi-ethnic city in the world. We can call Toronto the City of United Nations.
Students, I congratulate you for the choice of this location, Queens Park.
May I also recall that this week is so special in more ways than one.
This is also the week in September of 1987 that a young man in his tender age gave his life by fasting in search of a lasting peace in Sri Lanka. This is the 17th Anniversary of Thiyagi Thileepan’s death. All he wanted was the genuine and peaceful implementation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.
It is also the week of the meeting of the 59th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. World leaders are pouring into New York to talk about PEACE and actions for peace.
It is also the week of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Bell, located on 42nd Street & 1st Avenue in New York.
On the aftermath of the Nuclear holocaust in Japan, students and children from 60 countries tirelessly collected coins for the promotion of Peace.
These coins, weighing 116 kg was handed over to the 13th United Nations General Assembly held in Paris. The Assembly decided to melt this mass of coins and to make a bell – Peace Bell.
At the installation of the Peace Bell, the Secretary General said “This Bell – the Peace Bell – embodies the aspiration for Peace not only of the students who collected the coins, but of the people of the entire world”
This Peace Bell is rung by the Secretary General on the 21st of every September.
Ladies and Gentlemen!
Let me refresh what the greatest Statesman of this Century, Nelson Mandela said.
He said “PEACE” is the product of justice. Peace must be achieved through justice. It must be a just peace. It cannot come out of barrels and postulations.
Peace is such a simple thing. It is very inexpensive. You do not need guns and tanks and Tomohawks, and billion-dollar budgets. Simply sitting together and by talking of hearts you can achieve so much. So why are we insensitive?
For some, peace is so uneventful. It does not get into the news stories. I would like to remind you what Jeremy Gilley, the founder of the International Peace Day, said.
Gilley was a British Actor, Author, and a Peace Activist worked tirelessly for Peace Day.
He was very excited that on September 07, 2001 the United Nations proclaimed the first Peace Day. Therefore, he was hoping to see front-page coverage in the media. So, the first anniversary came on September 21, 2002. He was watching for news coverage and the result was disappointing.
CNN – the King of Television News – Not a word.
The Giant of Newspapers, The New York Times – Not a word.
Many media believe that “Peace is Not Newsworthy.”
Ladies and Gentlemen!
Let me turn my attention to Canada. Why is Pongu Thamil in Canada?
The population of the Tamil Canadians in this country is nearly 300,000. This is the single largest Sri Lankan Tamil population outside Sri Lanka.
The conflict in Sri Lanka has been going on for over 40 years. Thousands and thousands of people lost their lives, millions of dollars lost in property destroyed.
What is happening in Sri Lanka affects every man, woman and child and their friends.
Many Canadians have their friends, relatives and loved ones still living in Sri Lanka.
I am affected. When my mother, Vallippillai, cannot go to the temple, her daily ritual in the past, because the temple she grew up with is no longer there as result of a rocket attack, I am devasted. When my second cousin, Kamalathevi, losttwo of her three small childrenat the Jaffna General Hospital, when the hospital was attacked, I was heart-broken. When my friend, Kaneshalingam’s son, now a Teacher at the Jaffna Central College says that he misses the unique collection of books at the Jaffna Central Library after the library was burnt down under the watchful eyes of two cabinet ministers, I feel a sense of betrayal by the guardian of the law. I am a Canadian. All this affected me as a Canadian.
I AM WORRIED. I AM VERY WORRIED. I do not have peace of mind. I cannot focus on my work. I do not feel like participating in any community or social events. My productivity at work diminishes.
As a TRUE CANADIAN, I am unable to contribute my FULL ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM to improve the quality of life of Canadians. This is unacceptable in a civilized society such as ours.
Therefore, when lack of peace in Sri Lanka adversely affects more than 300,000 Canadians, then it is a Canadian issue.
Let me give you some statistics to justify why this is a Canadian issue.
What is the population Windsor, where our Prime Minister, Right Hon Paul Martin, was born? Answer: 300,000 – Same as the Canadian Tamil population.
What is the population of Canada’s home of automakers – Oshawa? Answer: 300,000 – Same as the Canadian Tamil population.
What is the population of the City of Ottawa, the seat of Power of the Great Canadian Confederation? Answer: 300,000 – Same as the Canadian Tamil population.
What is the population of Prince Edward Island? ANS 150,000 – Only 50% of Canadian Tamil population.
What is the combined population of the three Canadian territories (Yukon, NWT and Nunuvet)? ANS 100,000 – Only 30% of the Canadian Tamil population.
What is the population of the Riding of – LaSalle – Emard, in Quebec? ANS ~100,000 – Only 30% of the Canadian Tamil population.
Can we imagine the reactions and response of the governments at the Federal, Provincial and local levels if the entire population of a city, such as Windsor, Oshawa, or Ottawa were affected by an issue?
Can we imagine the reaction of the federal government when the entire province of PEI and the three territories combined are affected?
Can you understand the reaction of the Prime Minister when every man, woman and child in his riding of LaSalle-Emard is affected?
Therefore, Ladies and Gentlemen, Peace in Sri Lanka should be a primary concern to Canada. The Canadian government should take the lead and assist in facilitating PEACE in Sri Lanka.
Every government has the moral responsibility to work for peace in Sri Lanka.
I call upon our Prime Minister, Hon Paul Martin, to take an active role in promoting a lasting peace in Sri Lanka.
Why? Because it affects a sizable proportion of Canadians.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
There were many peace talks in the past between the Sinhala and the Tamil Leadership, dating back more than 40 years.
I do not want to go into details of these agreements and Pacts. You can read them in the web.
There have been many agreements between the two parties, only to be torn apart or abrogated shortly after the agreements were hatched. Each successive government negotiated peace, and the party in opposition protested against the agreement.
There was no determined will in the government of the day to implements those pacts.
Realizing the opposition party of the day usually ends up destroying the pact, as late as 1997, the British Deputy Foreign Minister Liam Fox had a bipartisan agreement to cooperate on peace signed between President Kumaratunge and the Ranil Wickramasinghe which was discarded after the government was dissolved.
Now we have another historic opportunity in that the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe recently gave his unconditional support to President Chandrika Kumaratunge to start the peace talks once again.
Also, we have a historic opportunity that the Government of Norway has undertaken to facilitate the Peace Talks.
Also another historic opportunity:
The Tamil people gave a resounding message in the past General Election of April 2004, electing 22 Tamil National alliance members of Parliament. These MPs have a mandate from the people of the NorthEast to promote the Peace Talks under the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Let us not kid ourselves. The LTTE is the accepted leadership of the National struggle of the Tamil people. There is no peace without talking to the LTTE. That is why the Government of Norway has been having dialogue between the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka.
A year ago the LTTE gave a set of guidelines for the start of the peace talks. These guidelines were known as the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) Proposals. In my judgment, it is a damn good basis to start the talks.
I ask each and every one of you to read it. It is a very sensible proposal. This could be a sensible basis for negotiations.
The Government of Sri Lanka should start the talks with Norway facilitation.
The peace talks have been paralyzed for the past 2 years. Accusations and counter accusations are flowing excessively.
Why are we waiting?
Each day of delay in achieving peace adds up to a toll on both sides of the divide.
I ask the Canadian Prime Minister,
Why are we waiting and what are we waiting for?
Let us promote the Norway-facilitated peace talks.
Let us bring Peace to the hearts and minds of 300,000 Tamil Canadians and their friends.
PEACE DENIED IS JUSTICE DENIED!
I ASK THE CANADIAN TAMIL COMMUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IN PROMOTING PEACE IN SRI LANKA.
TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN FINDING A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT.