IC should accept reality of genocide in Sri Lanka - Canadian student

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 December 2009, 02:25 GMT]
Kannan Sreekantha, one of three Canadian Tamil students, who started a 1000-mile walk from Chicago to Washington D.C., an awareness campaign titled 'Break the Silence' calling attention to the plight of Eezham Tamils, on Monday while returning to Canada, in a message to his contacts in the United States said: "Having done this project, while also being exposed to the emerging realities at point blank range, I now more than ever believe that the international community will one day fully come to accept that there has been a genocide committed in Tamil Eelam. All that we need to do is, act as catalyst in order to expedite this process."

"When I was exiting out of Canada in March 2009, I took the promise to my heart not to set afoot back in that soil, until the set-out objectives are established. With you in front of me, I re-take the promise again as I exit out of the United States. I am turning today into a day to renew my determination. Only the independent and the sovereign state of Tamil Eelam can put this flame out," said the message from the student of global studies and political science.

Full text of the message from Kannan Sreekantha follows:

"I am writing to you from New York City, while waiting for the greyhound bus that is making its way to Canada. I wanted to write this to you before I step into the Canadian territory.

"Nine months have passed since I left Toronto for this project. I have been in the roads, parks, police stations, fire houses, hotels, motels, hostels, salvation army's homeless shelters, some of your houses, and other interesting places in various villages, cities, towns, and counties in many different states of America.

"All the while, I have become so attached to many of you, got really close with a couple of you, ate with many of you, slept in a house that belongs to some of you, went to rallies and lobbies with you, did many other things with you, and a small piece of my heart was stolen by all of you- only to get lost from you all right now...

"Thank you very much for the memories. The time in the United States with you has been one of the BEST experiences ever in my life. I will really cherish these memories.

"That moment was a really really beautiful moment and a great coincidence. An awesome accident! (How many of you know what this mean? LOL)

"This journey was a life altering experience for me. We have walked over a thousand miles, while meeting with US representatives, media outlets and several thousand Americans all the while convincing them of the Tamil plight. Every single person we have come across, without an exception believed wholeheartedly that people were being persecuted in Tamil Eelam.

"The atrocities put forth on the Tamils are nowhere near from over. On the contrary, the Tamil people being transferred out of the internment camps are subject to the worse imaginable conditions, being exposed to diseases and starvation, while there are ongoing and credible allegations of rape, torture and disappearances. Unlike the past few months, today the genocide continues outside the internment camps.

"Having done this project, while also being exposed to the emerging realities at point blank range, I now more than ever believe that the international community will one day fully come to accept that there has been a genocide committed in Tamil Eelam. All that we need to do is, act as catalyst in order to expedite this process.

"The Annual Policy Declaration Statement (Heroes Day Address) for the 2009-10 period, passionately and confidently announced 'No matter, which corner of the world the Tamil is living in, their heart will always beat for the liberation of Tamil Eelam'.

"When I was exiting out of Canada in March 2009, I took the promise to my heart not to set afoot back in that soil, until the set-out objectives are established. With you in front of me, I re-take the promise again as I exit out of the United States. I am turning today into a day to renew my determination. Only the independent and the sovereign state of Tamil Eelam can put this flame out."

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