Canadians Concerned about Sri Lanka: Canadian Groups Come Together in Response to Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka
Attn: Toronto/GTA Assignment & News Editors for Tuesday, June 30 @ 11 a.m.Location: Canadian Center for Victims of Torture,
194 Jarvis Street, 2nd Floor
(west side of Jarvis, south of Dundas)
Date & Time: Jun 30, 2009 @ 11am
Speakers: John Cartwright, President, Toronto & York Region Labor Council
Manjula Selvarajah, Media Coordinator, Canadian Tamil Congress
Mulugeta Abai, Executive Director, Canadian Center for Victims
of Torture
Sharryn J. Aiken, Faculty of Law, Queen's University,
Canadian Academics for Tamil Rights
Canadian groups come together with Tamil Canadians calling for access
for humanitarian aid and independent observers in northern Sri Lanka,
as well as expedited assistance for refugees. As the humanitarian
situation in Sri Lanka escalates community groups unite to raise
awareness and put increased pressure on the Canadian government to
respond to the plight of the peoples in Sri Lanka.
"There is an urgent need for immediate and continued attention on
this issue because so many lives in Sri Lanka and in Canada have been
affected", explains Mr. Sri-Skanda-Rajah, President of the Urban
Alliance on Race Relations. The call for immediate aid for those in IDP
camps is echoed by several groups in Canada who feel that this issue is
not an isolated concern for Tamil Canadians.
"Tamil Canadians are our neighbours and co-workers, so we must
bring together Canadians from all walks of life to assist in this time
of urgency for their community", states John Cartwright, President of
the Toronto & York Region Labour Council.
Over 300,000 internally displaced peoples (IDPs) are being held in
camps in the north and east of Sri Lanka, facing malnutrition and lack
of medical care in overcrowded facilities. Despite the recent cessation
of hostilities in this war-torn country, the IDPs continue to be
victims of war. The 25-year war between the rebel group, Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the Sri Lankan government has resulted in
approximately 100,000 lost lives and 300,000 injured.
Canadians Concerned about Sri Lanka is a broad coalition of
community, labour and academics who have come together in June 2009 in
response to the humanitarian crisis. The group hopes to press the
Canadian government and International bodies to pressure the Sri Lankan
government to treat all its citizens equally and in a just manner.