Demonstrators supporting the Sri Lankan Tamil population wave banners and flags as they march down a main avenue in Brussels, Monday March 16, 2009. More than 20,000 demonstrators came into the street on Monday to protest against what they say is a Sri Lankan government offensive aimed at crushing the separatist Tamil Tigers. At center in photo is Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Tamil protesters slow traffic in Toronto
Thousands of protesters are slowly leaving the downtown core after a five-hour demonstration by members of Toronto's Tamil community clogged sidewalks and closed busy thoroughfares.The demonstrators arrived at 1 p.m to protest attacks by the Sri Lankan military on Tamils in that country's bloody civil war.
"We want awareness of the genocide going on in Sri Lanka. It has been systematic genocide for 61 years and we want all Canadians, including non-Tamils, to stop it," said protester Shan Thayaparan, 43, of Toronto."We want our (Canadian) government to get involved for the people back home. We want our government to talk to the Sri Lankan government," said Sarmi Ponnu, 12, who had travelled from Scarborough with her grandparents to take part in the demonstration."Every day we wait, there is more people getting killed," she said.
Kala Pathmanathan, a protester from Markham, said the Canadian government should deliver food and medical assistance to those being affected by the ongoing civil war.
"We must save our people in Sri Lanka. They are eating leaves, they don't have any food," she said.
March in Geneva
Tamil protesters slow traffic in Toronto
Thousands of protesters are slowly leaving the downtown core after a five-hour demonstration by members of Toronto's Tamil community clogged sidewalks and closed busy thoroughfares.The demonstrators arrived at 1 p.m to protest attacks by the Sri Lankan military on Tamils in that country's bloody civil war.
"We want awareness of the genocide going on in Sri Lanka. It has been systematic genocide for 61 years and we want all Canadians, including non-Tamils, to stop it," said protester Shan Thayaparan, 43, of Toronto."We want our (Canadian) government to get involved for the people back home. We want our government to talk to the Sri Lankan government," said Sarmi Ponnu, 12, who had travelled from Scarborough with her grandparents to take part in the demonstration."Every day we wait, there is more people getting killed," she said.
Kala Pathmanathan, a protester from Markham, said the Canadian government should deliver food and medical assistance to those being affected by the ongoing civil war.
"We must save our people in Sri Lanka. They are eating leaves, they don't have any food," she said.
March in Geneva