Canada: Lankan Tamils form human chain

Up to 120,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada formed a human chain in downtown Toronto, protesting against the genocide back home. 

The protestors also wanted the Canadian government to lift the ban on the Liberal Tigers of Tamil Eelam which was declared a terrorist organization by Ottawa some years ago.  

Sri Lankan  Tamils had the permit from the City to organize the protest rallies with many of them holding the placards accusing the Canadian government that the Canadian money was being used by the Sri Lankan  government to resort to genocide. 

"Our government should do something to stop the war," a protestor, Genit Jeyakanthan, is quoted in the Toronto Star as saying.  He asked Parliament 'to lift its ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and bring both parties together and help negotiate a peace.'

The ultimate goal, this protester reportedly suggested, 'is to have their own country.'

'We are here to tell the world about the situation in Sri Lanka and that we are not terrorists but freedom fighters,' another protestor Nathan Arun is quoted as emphasizing.  'Every day hundreds of people die in our homeland.  We need peace there.'

'Not only the government is killing our people, it is also killing our culture, our traditions, our language,' said Meera Nimalraj.   

About 200,000 Tamil Sri Lankans live in Greater Toronto Area in Toronto.