Canada investigating waving of LTTE flags at Toronto rally
- 16 Comment
By Gurmukh Singh
Toronto, March 19 (IANS)With thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils waving the flags of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) at a rally here Monday, Canadian authorities have launched an investigation whether their action violated the nation’s new anti-terror laws.
The current Conservative government banned the LTTE in 2006 for using suicide bombers and child soldiers in its goal for an independent nation for Sri Lankan Tamils.
Supporting a banned organisation also constitutes violation of Canada’s anti-terror laws.
More than 50,000 Tamils had joined in a “human chain” in the heart of the city, urging Canada to lift its ban on the LTTE and seek support for an independent Tamil Eelam.
Toronto police say they have launched an investigation whether waving of LTTE flags contituted violation of new anti-terror laws.
“It is something of a legal issue, and that is something that will be looked into through our legal department,” said Constable Wendy Drummond of Toronto Police.
It is not the first time that protesters in Canada have waved the flags of banned organisations.
Supporters of Hezbollah and Hamas, which are also banned in Canada, have often waved their flags at protests rallies.
In fact, B’nai Brith, the national body of Canadian Jews, Wednesday urged the city police to expand its probe into the display of LTTE flags to also include Hamas and Hezbollah.
“We commend the Toronto police for launching an investigation into the display of the flag of the Tamil Tigers, a terrorist group outlawed in this country,” said Frank Dimant of B’nai Brith Canada.
“However, there have been many other instances of flags of other banned terrorist entities, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, that have been in full public view at rallies, most recently early this year during the period of the Gaza conflict,” the Jewish leader said.
Canada has the largest concentration of Sri Lankan Tamils after the island nation. Most of them came here as refugees in the 1980s and 90s and settled in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
The LTTE has enjoyed widespread support in the 300,000-strong community here.
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16 Comments on this post
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konkel said:
The display of Tamil Tiger flags during a protest by members of Toronto’s Tamil community this week was legal, Toronto police said Wednesday, despite the fact the rebel group is banned in Canada as a terrorist organization.
Thousands of Toronto Tamils formed a human chain around the downtown core on Monday, to call attention to the civil war in Sri Lanka and call for Canada to pressure the Sri Lankan government to engage Tamil rebels in ceasefire talks.
During the protest, men, women and children of all ages waved the red flags of the militant group that has led the fight for an independent Tamil nation in the north of the South Asian island.
On Tuesday, the city’s police service said its legal department was looking into whether the flags violated Canada’s anti-terrorism laws. But police spokesman Mark Pugash said the service’s lawyers deemed there was “nothing illegal” about displaying the group’s insignia.
“The best advice that we have from our lawyers is that it does not contravene any law,” Pugash said.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:22 am -
gajanan said:
Most of these LTTE supporters are former LTTE terrorists who do not respect the law of the land whether in Sri Lanka, Canada, UK , US and the list goes on. A major cost for law enforcement for any country to keep its citizens safe. Democratic countries should not turn a blind eye to terrorism and its supporters.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:34 am -
Jagath said:
Its the votes, stupid ! Tamil Tigers or any other murderer will be allowed to wave not only flags but also guns, bombs, mines etc as long as the politicians get their votes. Its sad that politicians in Canada are ready to stoop to any level simply to harvest the tamil votes. Not to worry. Canada and rest of the west will soon reap the whirlwind for having sowed the murders tamil tiger wind in their backyards. Tigers don’t give birth to lambs. The gullible whites in the west will soon find out. Sorry, its already too late.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:54 am -
Siva said:
I believe that Canadian government doesn’t do the right thing because Canada banned LTTE terrorist org, but not their flag. Furthermore, if Muslim extremists celebrate 9/11 terrorists I don’t thing this Canadian government do the something as what Canadian government doing now. Do the right things Canada no double standard on terrorist no race or colour terrorists are terrorists anyway. Immediately banned LTTE flag and stop their propaganda units such as T.V, radio and news papers
March 19th, 2009 at 11:40 am -
Lioncub said:
Canadian authorities have gotten into a fine mess by allowing LTTE terrorists in their country by mistaken sympathy in 70s and 80s. Nearly of these people got their visas by showing fake credentials. Some of these people are active members of LTTE who are engaged in false propaganda, fund raising, money laundering, illicit drug dealing, credit card frauds, prostituition rings, arms procuring and other illegal activities. The remainder except may be a handful, has been coerced to suppport LTTE activities by intimidation of some form or other which include harassment of their kith and kin back home. It is heartning to see that the Canadian authorities are now beginning to understand the nature of LTTE and the extent of their illegal activities on Canadian soil. It is high time that the authorities take stern actions against these terrorists before it becomes an incurable cancer in Canada in the next decade or so.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:48 am -
Soma said:
Bill C-36 (Anti-terrorism Act.)
Section 83.18 (Participation in activity of terrorist group)
Sub- Section 4 (Factors)States:
4) In determining whether an accused participates in or contributes to any activity of a terrorist group, the court may consider, among other factors, whether the accused
(a) uses a name, word, symbol or other representation that identifies, or is associated with, the terrorist group;
First, I went though the Bill and this is the only place that it talks about the use of a name, word, or a symbol. Also no where it says one terrorist group is more or less than the other so they are been treated equally.
Here is how I interpreted this,
Under the Canadian law, I can hold a poster of Osama bin Laden and waive a flag of Al-Qaeda chanting “Bin Laden is our leader, Al-Qaeda freedom fighters” or something along that line in front of capital hill or maybe in downtown Toronto. I wont get arrested or be asked to stop or leave the area. However, should I get arrested or be charged for another offence later in my life, then the court may consider to use the above incident against me under Anti-terrorism Act?
Have I interpreted the law correctly?
Because if I am not, I would like to know how I should interpret this.The reason I am asking this because over the past 8-9 months I am seeing more and more Tamil Tiger flags and Prabhakarns posters flying high in Canadian streets and not only that they have been chanting out loud that “Prabahkaran is their leader and LTTE freedom fighters”.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:52 am -
Nihal said:
Now Canada and Australia are safe heaven for all terrorists.
Tomorrow Muslims start a protest march supporting Al-Queda what will happen? What is difference between Al-Queda & LTTE.
Is Al-Queda a freedom fighter too?.March 19th, 2009 at 11:55 am -
Suny Galle said:
With that vast numbers of presence in Canada, what the LTTE suppoters in Canada should do now is get Prabakaran into Canada by hook or by crook, so that you all can have a one happy EELAM in Canada. Tamils do grow in numbers within short time, so Canadians should now be prepared to give an eelam prhaps in 10 years time in CANADA. I dont think Canada will oppose that under the present sort of support for LTTE. Leave Sri Lanka just for all who are willing to live in peace without giving terror to innocent people.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:33 pm -
Thambiah Sabarutnam said:
If Canada wants to remain as a peaceful country, it is the duty of the Government of Canada to take appropriate steps to curb Terrorist activities in Canadian soil for a peaceful Canada and a peaceful Sri Lanka and not to be influenced by the petty votes of the minorities. If not very soon Canada has to mourn for its citizens on Canadian soil.
If Canada truly believes in Democracy and Peace not only on Canadian soil but also in the rest of the world, all it has to do is to act immediately to put an end to Terrorist operating in Canadian soil and most of all stop raising funds which transformed into arms and ammunitions which is taking the lives of thousands of people in Sri Lanka. Canada cannot have two approaches towards Terrorism one in Afghanistan and a different approach in Sri Lanka.
To honor our fallen Hero’s who fought bravely in Afghanistan against terrorist it is the moral duty of the Canadian Government to have the same attitude towards Sri Lanka. The best way to eradicate Terrorism is to defeat Terrorism. Terrorism brings destructions to human life and to a country and destroys a civilized societyMarch 19th, 2009 at 7:12 pm -
Lak8 said:
It is increasingly becoming evident that a majority of Tamils suffer from serious mental disorders, mainly bipolar mania and delusion. 99% of Tamils feel ‘inferior’ to others wherever they maybe, be it Tamil Nadu, India, Australia, France, Belgium etc. Moreover, their gullibility in believing what their brainwashed fellows clamor about ‘discrimination’, and their inability to look outside the ‘box’, traps them within this inferiority complex for life. In ten to twenty years, these maniacs will start to clamor that they are being ‘discriminated’ by Canadians and will want a ‘separate state’ in the Toronto area. Canada – watch out for these psychopathic thugs: they are sowing the seeds of terrorism in your country.
March 19th, 2009 at 8:30 pm -
Look out, Canada said:
Canada, Does the following sound familiar?: “Indian Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy said hirelings of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who also happened to be advocates of the Madras high Court assaulted him and the police in front of the judges. He told the press that there is a breakdown of the law and order situation in the state of Tamil Nadu where the LTTE hirelings have taken the law into their hands.” http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items09/190309-1.html
- Watch out, Canada – these tamils are on the verge of creating terrorist mayhem in Canada. The time is not too distant when lawlessness and terrorist activities will be common in Canada.March 19th, 2009 at 8:48 pm -
To Canadian Patriots said:
Dear Canadian Patriots, please read the following article to save Canada from these megalomanic terrorists:
“PROTECT CANADA, STOP TAMIL TIGERS”:
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items09/190309-2.html
Act now and save the future of Canada from barbaric terrorism.
To get a glimpse of what these ltte thugs in Toronto are supporting, please see what this terrorist group did to their own Tamil people (who they are holding as a human shield) when they tried to escape from their cultches:
http://www.spur.asn.au/LTTE_killing_Tamil_Civilians_fleeing_LTTE_Human_Shield_December_2008.asp
God Bless Canada!!!
March 19th, 2009 at 9:45 pm -
Perakum said:
If the British Englich i learnt is correct waving of a flag of a banned terrorist organization is display of support to that banned organization.The legal situation in such a situation is prety obvious.As such the position of the Canadian Police that it has to check whether it constitute an illegal activity seem to denote an absurdity.This demonstration is a direct challenge to the authority of the Canadian authoritites>let Canada show that it is true to its commitment to eradicate Terrorism in Canada and around th world.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:01 pm -
Thambiah Sabarutnam said:
There was a similar growth of terrorism at the initial stages in Sri Lanka as it is emerging in Canadian soil at present. It all started as demonstrations and protests by the student and youth wings belonging to various groups in the earlier stage of unrest and later it turned in to violent separatist movements, which took a heavy toll on the people’s life and property.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:57 am -
spearhead said:
Canada should definitely look in to the legal aspect of this matter.
From my opinion, waving flags and display of symbols which belong to a terror group should be considered illegal. If not, it is high time to change the law.
Would Canada allow Taliban to operate in Canadian soil? Would Canada allow display of Nazi flag?
There are victims of LTTE who are living in Canada. It is a tremendous unspoken psychological drama for those victims.
It is well known LTTE Tamil tiger and their supporters do various illegal activities all over the world. They were banned in thirty or more countries. Their illegal activities such as Credit card frauds, money laundering, abuse of local welfare systems, insurance frauds and arms deals are well documented. Canada should take stern action against these LTTE Tamil tigers.
On the other hand, these Tamil supporters are indeed brainwashed, otherwise no sensible person can consider chief of LTTE -Velupillai Prabakaran as his leader. Prabakaran has killed many Tamils and other innocent civilians. Still he is using his own people as human shield to protect his life. He is documented as a megalomaniac, ruthless killer who doesn’t have any remorse for human life. How Sri Lankan Tamils consider him as a Leader. He will go to history as one hec of a DESPARADO.
It is high time for Canada to act swiftly against Tamil Tiger terrorist activities and make Canada a peaceful place to live.March 20th, 2009 at 2:23 am -
Ananth said:
First of all it is not the falg of the LTTE. It is the National flag of the people of Tamil Eelam and the state of Tamil Eelam. The Sinhalese are sure pouring all thier effort to make this look like a terrorist issue.
The protesters stand were:
Recognice Tamil Eelam and Free Tamil Eelam
Get international media and monitors in all parts of the island to report the truth
Recognize LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamil people and negotiate with them because they are the only one who can be trusted by the Tamils to speak in behalf of them.
Canadian government allows the use of the national flag of any people and the protest on monday attracted more then 120 000 people. Looks like the writer didn’t walk around the whole place to get his estimate or talk to the protestors to find out thier view.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
