Press Release
To:
Her Excellency Isabelle Martin
High Commissioner for Canada to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
From:
Arun Siddharth
District Organiser – Sarvajana Balaya Political Party (சர்வஜன அதிகாரம்)
President – Jaffna Civil Society Centre
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Sri Lankan Tamil Community Leader Condemns Reported Display of LTTE Symbols in Brampton and Calls for Justice for LTTE Victims
As a Sri Lankan Tamil who profoundly loves and respects my motherland, I wish to express my deep disappointment regarding recent reports that Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown acknowledged or appeared alongside the LTTE flag at a public event in Canada.
The LTTE is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Sri Lanka and is also listed as a terrorist entity in Canada. For those of us who directly suffered under LTTE violence, the public display or recognition of its symbols is not merely political—it is deeply painful and retraumatizing.
My Family’s Suffering Under LTTE Torture
My condemnation is not political rhetoric. It is rooted in personal tragedy.
In 1990, members of my own family were abducted by the LTTE—my mother’s brothers and my wife’s father. According to family testimony and survivor accounts, they were taken to an LTTE detention and torture site reportedly located in Thunukai, Mullaitivu District. This facility, according to survivors and human rights reports, held thousands of mainly Tamil civilians who were tortured and killed.
The existence of such torture facilities was documented by Amnesty International after their delegation visited Sri Lanka in June 1991 to assess the human rights situation. Their findings appear in the report:
Amnesty International (September 1991) – AI Index: ASA 37/14/91.
Our three family members were tortured and brutally killed. Until today, we have received no justice for their deaths.
Continuing Efforts Toward Accountability
We have learned through sources we consider credible that certain LTTE figures allegedly connected to atrocities at the Thunukai torture site may now be living in Canada. As victims’ families, we are collecting evidence to seek justice through:
• the International Criminal Court (ICC),
• and Sri Lanka’s domestic legal mechanisms,
in accordance with international human rights and criminal law standards.
We respectfully request that Canada supports justice efforts and ensures that its territory does not inadvertently become a safe space for individuals credibly accused of war crimes—regardless of ethnicity, politics, or past affiliations.
Appeal to Canadian Leadership
Canada is respected globally for its commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. However, when LTTE symbols appear in official or public settings, it deeply wounds survivors like myself and thousands of Tamil victims who suffered under the organisation’s violence.
I strongly urge Canadian public figures and institutions to:
1. Exercise extreme care and sensitivity regarding LTTE symbols and related events.
2. Consider the trauma borne by thousands of Srilankan victims, not only the narratives of diaspora groups sympathetic to the LTTE.
3. Ensure that Canada is not a safe haven for individuals credibly accused of gross violations of human rights.
These steps are essential not only for justice and healing but also for Canada’s international reputation as a country that stands firmly against terrorism and war crimes.
A Call for Understanding and Support
As victims and survivors’ families, we ask only for respect, dignity, and the chance to pursue justice through lawful means. We have suffered immeasurable loss. Please do not allow actions or symbolism in Canada to deepen our wounds.
We remain committed to peace, reconciliation, and democratic values in Sri Lanka—and we hope Canada will stand with us in these efforts.
Media Contact:
Arun Siddharth
District Organiser – Sarvajana Balaya Political Party (சர்வஜன அதிகாரம்)
President – Jaffna Civil Society Centre
No – 238, K,K,S,Road,Jaffna.
E-mail : jaffnacivilsociety@gmail.com
kmarxedu@gmail.com
Tel +94774842464
Off-021-221-3267
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