...'and so we do
not wonder at the
great and still less
do we despise the
small...'
Week's digest of top
news and views
" We don't want people jumping to the head of the line . . .
(but) if we err, we will always err on the side of justice and
on the side of compassion ". - Hon. Brian Mulroney,
Canada's 18th (1984 - 1993) Prime Minster - On the arrival 155
Tamil refugees by boat to New Foundland (Aug 1986)
TamilWeek
Mar 19 - 25
Current
TamilWeek
Tiger fund raising among Toronto Tamils

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

“ Funding the War: LTTE Intimidation and Extortion in the Tamil Diaspora”
is the title of a 45 page report newly  released by the  Human Rights
Watch organization. The US based HRW report was formally released on
March 16th or the Ides of March that spelled out doom to Shakespeare’s
Julius Caesar. The report provides a fascinating insight into the fund -
raising activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the
predicament faced by members of the Tamil Diaspora who do not want to
contrubute money to tiger coffers.
"It's obvious
the LTTE is
preparing for
war"-
Ponnambalam Jnr.
Rajani
Thiranagama:  A
true heroine of
our times

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
HRW sheds light on Tiger fund raising in the West

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

The respected US based organization which brought out in 2004 a
comprehensive report on recruitment and conscription of child soldiers by
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has released a new report on
the ides of March about fund raising activities by the tigers in the West.
“All Politics is
local” - HRW
Report and
Canadians

The editorials and
reporting of HRW
release and
aftermath should
cause concern for
the “leaders” in the
Tamil community to
remain status quo.
Role of the International Community in the Peace
Process

By Dr. S. Narapalasingam

The head of the Government delegation at the Geneva Talks and Health and
Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, speaking at a seminar on the peace
talks held at the Badulla library auditorium on March 4 said, achieving
permanent peace in the country would not be an easy task. But he did not
elaborate on the reasons for the difficulty.
Britain’s
Answer to
Separatism –
Lessons for Us

by Vasantha Rajah
Beginning of an end or the end of a beginning

By: Dr.Rajasingham Narendran

“ Ullathayum Keduthaanaam Kollik Kannan” – Tamil

(Even the little left was destroyed by the ember /fire eyed devil-Translation)

The Human Rights Watch report titled’ Funding the “Final War” LTTE
Intimidation and Extortion in the Tamil Diaspora’ (Vol. 18, # 1 C) of March’
2006, reminded me of the above proverb frequently used by Tamils in Sri
Lanka.
Jaffna's flicker
of hope

By Amantha
Perera in Jaffna  

The yellow banners
hanging from each
and every lamp post
in Jaffna town were
full of irony. Light
shines in darkness,
they read in Tamil.
There was a picture
of a flickering flame
as well.
A Canadian Tamil Community response to Allegations
by Human Rights Watch on Extortion   [PDF File]
Human Rights Watch Replies to the Canadian Tamil
Congress

During our investigation of intimidation and extortion in the Sri Lankan Tamil
diaspora, Human Rights Watch interviewed several dozen members of the
Tamil community in Canada and the United Kingdom, including business
owners, professionals, activists, journalists and other individuals.
Radhika,
children of
war, peace
talks and our
final future

by Prof. C.
Suriyakumaran

‘… The Boy Stood
on the Burning
Deck..Whence all
but He had Fled….’
Human Rights Watch backtracks on extortion charge
[TamilNet]
Comments on HRW site:

"I know many Tamils are appalled by this report. And I have
to agree with the criticism, that the HRW has failed to see
the violence that Tamils have faced by the Sri Lankan
government."
The Art of
Chithrasena - by
Dr. Radhika
Coomaraswamy

Firstly- there was
strong sense of
national pride.
Today national
pride is somewhat
complicated.
Canadian Tamils protest against HRW charges

"Not only are the report's findings completely false– they seem to be based
on anecdotal evidence and misguided assumptions," said Ashwin
Balamohan, incoming Vice President University Affairs for the Students'
Administrative Council at University of Toronto. [TamilNet]
Toronto Star Editorial: Ban Tamil Tigers and halt
extortion

Rather than express concern about this thuggery, Tamil leaders have
reacted in anger, denouncing the report as a smear on their community.
"This report makes me sick," says Canadian Tamil Congress spokesperson
David Poopalapillai. "It is hurtful for the entire community," says Sri-Guggan
Sriskandarajah of the Tamil Eelam Society of Canada.

Maybe so, but extortion hurts, too. Human Rights Watch is a credible
international organization. And this report is plausible.

Some Tamils may be victims of ordinary criminal extortion. But terrorist
fundraising is a fact of life in this country. Federal authorities suspect that
$180 million may have been raised last year.

While many in Toronto's Tamil community of 200,000 support the Tigers and
their secession drive, others do not. Yet some in the community fear to
criticize the Tigers publicly or to rebuff people who show up demanding
money and claiming to represent the Tigers, the World Tamil Movement
(WTM) and other groups — and who threaten trouble if they don't get it. For
its part, the WTM denies it raises funds for the Tigers.

The new Conservative government should put an end to this criminal
shakedown racket. Ottawa has already made it unlawful to raise money in
Canada for the Tigers. Yet reports of fundraising stubbornly persist and the
police have laid few charges.

The government should now go the next step and place the Tigers and their
front organizations on its list of terrorist entities, joining groups such as Al
Qaeda, Babbar Khalsa and Hamas. The Tigers certainly qualify as terrorists.
They have assassinated heads of state, targeted innocent civilians with
suicide bombs, and they recruit child soldiers.

While it is impossible to suppress all unlawful fundraising, banning the Tigers
would send the security services and police a signal to push this issue higher
up the priority list, and would better equip them to deal with it. It might also
embolden Canadian Tamils to shake off intimidation.

Because Tamil leaders are adamant that no legitimate community group is
raising funds for the Tigers, they should not object. A get-tough policy will
provide better protection from predators for law-abiding citizens in Tamil
communities in the Toronto area and across Canada.

Stockwell Day, Canada's minister of public safety, has long advocated strong
measures. "Banning the Tamil Tigers will give reassurance to Canadians that
this government is serious on the war on terrorism," he said in 2003, when
he was opposition foreign affairs critic.
'extortion
activities
described in
our report'
[Reuters]

The extortion
activities described
in our report are
being carried out by
a small number of
individuals claiming
to represent the
LTTE or groups
linked to the LTTE,
including the World
Tamil Movement.
Transformation of both parties necessary to meet
people’s needs

by Jehan Perera

In the media conference at the conclusion of the first round of Geneva talks
in February, the LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham made a very
positive statement. He gave his solemn pledge that the LTTE would no
longer engage in the practice of child recruitment.
Hanssen-Bauer
new Norwegian
envoy to Sri
Lanka
"JVP has
compromised
national
security"

Editor, The Sunday
Leader, Lasantha
Wickrematunge last
week told the
Criminal
Investigations
Department (CID)
that it is the JVP
which had
compromised
national security
and not the
newspaper.
Can Mahinda afford to take a detour?

By Pradeep Peiris

Echoes of the Geneva talks still reverberate. Many analysts suggest that the
Geneva talks are a victory for peace. Despite having pledged a tough stance
against the LTTE and even the peace process, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s
Government could not avoid negotiation on the CFA with the LTTE. The
LTTE too, for its part, obeyed mounting international pressure despite its
preparation for war. Nevertheless, it is commendable that both parties have
finally opted for Jaw-Jaw instead of War-War.
Bilingualism- Path to Peace

Prof. S.T. Hettige

Let me begin this article with an anecdote. I was invited to address a
gathering of youth in Galle last week, at a youth camp organized by the UN
volunteer programme. It was an international event and the organizers had
brought together about 500 youth not only from different parts of the country
but also from several other countries in Asia. When I was asked to address
the gathering, I wondered in what language I should speak.
Next round of Sri Lankan peace talks hangs in the
balance [WSWS]

Uncertainty hangs over the second round of the Sri Lanka’s peace talks
between the Colombo government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), scheduled for April 19-21 in Geneva. Communalist agitation by the
government’s Sinhala extremist allies and a series of armed attacks on the
LTTE raise the prospect that the negotiations will collapse.
Only if the tables have turned

By Dr. Victor Ragunathan

We only asked decision making equal opportunity
We only asked a federal system
We only asked to be respected and
We only talked about our rights
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TamilWeek
News-Features
World Cup legacy [BBC]

Proud Sri Lankans celebrate the 10th anniversary of their remarkable victory
in the 1996 World Cup on Friday.

But there have been complaints the authorities in the country have failed to
capitalise on the legacy of that day when the team beat Australia in Lahore.
Arjuna Ranatunga (R)
after he was sacked as
captain in 1999
All Lands Home - “All the world is my world, all humanity is my fraternity”
Altar's tortilla flophouse [MarketPlace]

The town of Altar is an increasingly common staging ground for illegal
immigrants from Mexico and Latin America preparing for their journey to the
United States. Claudine Lomonaco reports on this migrant boomtown.
www.flickr.com
Les magasins de Tamil sont situés en La Chapelle dans Paris.
It s'appelle "peu de Jaffna" [Suvadu.com]

The Tamil shops are situated in La Chapelle in Paris.It is called "Little Jaffna"
Arts - Culture - Heritage
70 th Birthday Tribute for Gamini Fonseka

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Gamini Fonseka, if among us still, would have reached the biblical life span
of three score and ten on March 21st. This however was not to be as the
uncrowned monarch of Sinhala moviedom passed away in 2004. T
Manique Gunasekera gives a place for Lankan
English

by K.S.Sivakumaran

An affable academic in the country is Prof. Manique Gunasekera who is a
down to earth and respected researcher on "varieties of English". She heads
the Department of English and the English Language Teaching Unit of the
University of Kelaniya. She is also the President of the Sri Lanka English
language Teachers’ Association. She is also interested in post-colonial
literature.
Film to celebrate maths genius [BBC]

British director Stephen Fry and India's Dev Benegal are to make a film
about an Indian mathematician whose ideas underpin the digital revolution.

Srinavasa Ramanujan, a poor college dropout who died aged 33, ended up
at Cambridge in the early 1900s and was acknowledged as a mathematical
genius.
Future perfect [Hindu]

With roles in Tamil and Telugu cinema, things are looking rosy for Trisha.

One hit performance is not the difficult part. Sustaining the success is.

It was "Lesa Lesa" which brought Trisha, Miss Chennai, into the limelight.
Spotted by director Priyadarshan, there was no looking back. Her diary dates
are crowded and she is working round the clock to meet schedules. We
catch up with her in the middle of "Unakkum Enakkum Something Something"
shooting and the Fanta icon unwinds.
Away from the arc lights

Yesteryear actor Rajashri who was recently honoured with the MGR Award
for 2004, looks back at her life and career.

The other heroine of `Kadhalikka Naeramillai' has also done it this year —
erstwhile actor Rajashri was chosen for the MGR Award for 2004 recently.
(Kanchana, also a heroine of `Kadhalikka ... ' was presented the MGR award
for 2003) You catch up with her a couple of days before the awards
ceremony. "The honour comes as a total surprise! It's more than 25 years
since I quit the arc lights that I'm nervous about going on stage to collect the
award." Rajashri's words are punctuated with a self-conscious laugh. The
last time she donned make up as an actor, was in 1977.
Glitz, glam, Kamal

Shot extensively in the U.S., Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu, with Kamal and Jyotika
leading the cast, will be a highlight of Tamil new year.

Kamal Haasan and Jyotika were engaged in casual conversation pushing a
trolley, director Gautam Menon watching. It was a patch up for work already
done in the U.S., explained the director. The ``Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu" crew
had a whale of a time in America, according to Menon. ``We shot at some
important locations, the fire department office, for instance," Menon
elaborated. ``The film, slated for April 14, has grandeur and glitz backed by
a good story. A high ranking police officer goes after a criminal, the hunt
taking him all the way to the U. S.
Advertisement
Rest havens of yore

The chatrams built by the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur are ornate wonders.
Yet, many are rented out as storage spaces or simply abandoned.

HAVING got off a rickety bus at a dusty junction of Needamangalam, a fertile
village near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, I tried to find my way to Yamunambal
Chatram. Questions were met with blank looks. The travel books, which don't
mention it, were not helpful either.
Non Profit Organization:
Modern building for Sambaltivu Children Home
commissioned [TamilNet]

Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian,
Wednesday declared open the modern building constructed at a
cost of 3.5 million rupees for the Sambaltivu Saratha Children Home
with the funding of New Jersey Tamil Arts and Cultural Society in the
United States of America. Mr.Thurairatnasingham cut the ribbon and
unveiled the tablet of the new building, which could provide space for about
fifty children, sources said.

The project was implemented through the Trincomalee Welfare
Association-Canada (TWA), which is registered as a non-profit organization
in Canada and Sri Lanka.
Tender Sprouts
Childrens Home
Mail Link

The Program:

“Mail Link” is a letter writing program to foster friendship between the Tamil
children of North America and the Tamil children affected by the war and
Tsunami in the North and East of Sri Lanka. “Mail Link” was initiated to help
in healing the hearts of those children who
survived by fostering friendship and care through regular mail
correspondence.
For Info, Please contact Thanja at 416-497-0885. [Contd.]
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"There are two things born from mountains, shining so brilliantly that the great bow down, driving
darkness from earth circled by roaring waters. One is the flaming sun, single wheel bright as
lightning, the other is Tamil that has no like." — from the taNTiyalankârum [Berkeley Tamil]
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