Pitasanna Shanmugathas
There are striking parallels between Israel’s offensive on Gaza starting October 7th, 2023, and the Sri Lankan government’s actions in the final stages of the war, where shelling by the government led to the loss of thousands of civilians in their bid to defeat the LTTE. According to Human Rights Watch, during the final stages of the war, “the Sri Lankan armed forces indiscriminately shelled densely populated areas, including hospitals, in violation of the laws of war.” This mirrors exactly what Israel has been doing in its latest offensive on Gaza.
MP Gary Anandasangaree has rightly condemned the Sri Lankan government’s war crimes, and successfully led efforts for Canada to sanction former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa for credible war crimes allegations. However, questions arise about Anandasangaree’s human rights commitment given his silence on Israel’s recent Gaza offensive, which mirrors Sri Lanka’s actions in 2009.
While Israel has been escalating its offensive in Gaza, the Canadian government has ramped up arms sales. Since the October 7th offensive, Canada has authorized over $28 million in exports of military goods and technology to Israel. Such arms sales are in violation of Canada’s own domestic arms control laws as well as in violation of international law, both of which prohibits a country from selling arms to any nation likely to use those arms to engage in human rights violations.
Trudeau has also come under scrutiny for cutting off aid to UNRWA—the United Nations relief organization for Palestinian refugees—which serves as a vital lifeline for Palestinians in Gaza. This decision came amidst unsubstantiated reports from Israeli officials accusing a dozen UNRWA employees of having affiliations with Hamas forces.
While Trudeau is providing arms to Israel during its heinous offensive against the Palestinians and cutting the most vital aid source to help besieged Gazans, Gary Anandasangaree supports it all through his cowardly silence.
MP Anandansagaree’s constituency in his riding consists of a significant portion of Sri Lankan Tamil Canadians who know all too well about the international community’s silence while their brothers and sisters in the North were being shelled and bombed relentlessly, despite assurances from the government of designated safe zones. As a result of MP Anandasangaree’s silence when the same atrocities are being committed against Gazans, he has now lost his legitimacy to be outspoken about human rights abuses committed by the Sri Lankan government during the final stages of the war. Furthermore, his Sri Lankan Tamil constituents should now think twice about re-electing somebody who remains relatively silent while a similar atrocity to theirs is happening to another people.
MP Anandasangaree would respond that he did issue a statement in response to the October 7th attacks. MP Anandasangaree put out a tweet with a statement where he reiterated his support for a two-state solution while condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel. Yet MP Anandasangaree’s tweet did not express condemnation of the indiscriminate attacks being carried out by Israel on the densely populated area of Gaza. MP Anandasangaree has never once made a speech in Parliament condemning Israel’s indiscriminate assault, nor has he, in weeks following the October 7th attacks, made a speech calling for his government to support a ceasefire. MP Anandasangaree has repeatedly played it safe and said practically nothing at all in condemnation of the West’s role in fueling this Israeli atrocity.
However, there is some private dissent within the Liberal Party. It has been revealed that in a private call with a constituent, a key Liberal Member of Parliament, Rob Oliphant, recently condemned his own party’s policy on the Gazan war. MP Anandasangaree could take it a step further and publicly do the same, but he won’t.
To answer the pertinent question as to why MP Anandasangaree has chosen to remain silent in calling for Trudeau to end arms sales to Israel, or in calling for Canada to resume aid to UNRWA, or in calling for Canada to impose sanctions against Israel—the answer is obvious. MP Anandasangaree values the political perks that he receives as a member of the Liberal Party more than he values ending the bloodshed inflicted by Israel against Gazans with the support of the Trudeau government. In addition to being entitled to receive a lifelong government pension as a result of having successfully served as a Member of Parliament for six years, MP Anandasangaree, for his unwavering loyalty towards Trudeau’s policies, was awarded a cabinet ministerial position on July 23rd, 2023, as the Minister of Crown-Indigenous relations. This accomplishment makes MP Anandasangaree the first Sri Lankan-Tamil Canadian to hold a ministerial position at the federal level of government. If MP Anandasangaree chose to exercise his moral conscience and speak out against Trudeau’s heinous foreign policy, then he would lose his cabinet ministerial position and might not be endorsed by his party for re-election. As is the case with almost all politicians, MP Anandasangaree solely cares about his political survival and will seemingly do anything it takes to climb the upper echelons of the political ladder.
MP Gary Anandasangaree’s silence while Israel is decimating the Gazan people indicates he lacks the political courage and consciousness possessed by his father—an individual this writer has previously met and interviewed—to speak truth to power and take a stand when one’s own government is supporting atrocities in one’s name.
Fast forward several years from now—Gary Anandasangaree has retired from politics after serving for several decades. He is now vacationing at his cottage which overlooks Lake Muskoka with his family, living comfortably on his lifetime government pension. What would MP Anandasangaree have to show for his decades long career in politics?
Did MP Anandasangaree speak out when his government was selling weapons to Saudi Araba while they were conducting a brutal assault on Yemen—the poorest nation in the region? No. Did MP Anandasangaree speak out when his government was allowing Canadian mining companies to commit horrendous atrocities such as displacing and raping villagers and polluting ecosystems in the Global South? No. Did MP Anandasangaree speak out in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to call for a diplomatic solution to end the war as countless number of Ukrainians died? No. Did MP Anandasangaree condemn his own government for supplying weapons to Ukraine and thereby continue to exacerbate this US-led proxy war? No. Did MP Anandasangaree condemn his government’s decision to terminate aid to UNRWA as Gaza is on the brink of famine, while his government continued to arm Israel in their assault on the besieged territory? No. Did MP Anandasangaree successfully push the Canadian government to impose sanctions against human rights abusers within the Sri Lankan government while hypocritically being silent about the atrocities committed by the LTTE against the Tamil people? Yes!
So, what would MP Gary Anandasangaree have to show for his decades-long political service? A good track record of enriching the Canadian elite and weapons manufacturers at the expense of his complicity and that of his government’s in the bloodshed of innocent populations in various regions around the world. Well done, MP Gary Anandasangaree.
davidthegood / February 16, 2024
PS, It is known that many see the wrongs done but are unable to voice it openly without drawing in some injury to the one who is exposing and hence he remains silent. I guess MPS too has been silent in such situations.
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Kanapathy Varunan / February 16, 2024
When you become a politician you lose your self-respect, whatever was left behind in the process of becoming a “successful” politician.
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SJ / February 16, 2024
“many see the wrongs done but are unable to voice it openly without drawing in some injury to the one who is exposing…”
There is no exposing involved when the wrong is clearly visible, and it is either cowardice or hypocrisy or something worse that is involved.
An overwhelming majority of Tamil MPs here are no better than Gary A.
It may have something to do with the irrational affinity for Israel that began in early 1960s and blind faith in the US.
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LankaScot / February 19, 2024
Hello SJ,
Many countries including the UK have an “Official Secrets Act” which can be used justifiably to protect the privacy and safety of individuals. However it can often be used to bury uncomfortable political revelations. I raised a case with my local MP back in the late 70s regarding a Diver (ex-Military) that died of multiple cancers. He had previously carried out repairs on the underside of a Nuclear Submarine. The MP was quietly told it had been dealt with, but publicity was out of the question due to the Act. Scotland houses Nuclear Submarines in Faslane (not a secret) and this stopped the development of the Oil Industry in the Western Isles of Scotland. BP was prevented from publishing a report on the likely reserves by the same Official Secrets Act in the early 1980s https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-post-inverness/20131110/281479274178761
Having said that MPs have Parliamentary Privilege and to quite an extent are free to say what they want in Parliament https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201314/jtselect/jtprivi/30/3002.htm
None of the above can excuse silence (or complicity) on the War Crimes/Genocide being committed by the Israelis on the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Best regards
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SJ / February 19, 2024
LS
Thanks.
Quite informative too.
Kind regards
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Fairmindedone / February 21, 2024
Sadly, Shan didn’t have the faintest clue as to the operational procedures in democratic societies.
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A Party does not govern the country directly, only the Cabinet. And the Cabinet is a single entity, not with multiple voices outside the Cabinet. Minister of External Affairs handles the external affairs. And Gary is not the external affairs person.
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If a Cabinet member wishes to make a personal opinion that is not in sync with the Cabinet, then that member must come out of the Cabinet to make that point. Or will be kicked out. It is better to mind one’s portfolio and bring credit to the government as a team.
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Shan has used so much bytes to say nothing that is useful to the discussion, except that he has a personal axe to grind. If he would have, at least, angled his discussion to the government of Canada, and then could pose the question as to how Gary could serve in that government, then it might have made some sense, except that Canadian Government, as a middle economic power, has the right kind of policy on his subject issue.
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Gary, as a politician, may have self interest, and it may or (indeed) may not be in line with wider perspectives of the post-2009 Tamil community and its political progress in Sri Lanka.
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Nathan / February 16, 2024
A comment, whatsoever, would grant credence to your bias.
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SJ / February 17, 2024
So, a comment can cover up bias!
Is it why some make elaborate comments on what are simple straightforward statements?
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SJ / February 17, 2024
Are those red thumbs or red faces?
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Come on Man! Don’t be such a nincompoop. What is wrong with you? You could not recognize the red hand, or it is under your illuminating principles the red hand showing downward has to be observed as red face? It is without any doubt telling “you lost”, you cannot escape; you are caught red handed in the convoluting illumination.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Comments point out deficiencies, mainly. So, they may elaborate why the commentator is differing from the statements. Statement need not to be explanatory. It is basically a declaration of some status. It can be smaller than comments following it. The reality is there are practically many comments released on a statement. So, comments’ volume is always much bigger than statement. Your comment is solely to defend your Illuminating gimmicks. There are no points at all in them. Many are barely a dumb question of “Really”; or foolishly questioning “did you take medicine?” You behave like you were just coming out after prescribing s. If you had prescribed anything it cannot be anything other than Deva Badu. Those illuminations are clear expressions of one’s weakness and desperation of seeking victory. They are not comments on the subject under discussion. There is nothing straightforward other than explicit, shameless cunning escapism after seeking victory. Your greatest value is your inventions of the successive Muthanaies that one can hide after unnecessarily sticking the nose on unwanted comments for you.
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Pandi Kutti / February 17, 2024
Pitasanna Shanmugathas . leave Gary Anandasagaree , now did you condemn the Palestinian authority that praised Mahinda Rajapakse and the Rajapakse regime, and conferred upon him their highest honour and called him a great statesman and a friend of Palestine, soon after his regime committed war crimes, structural genocide and deliberately killed over 170000 innocent Thamizh civilians in the Vanni in May 2009 and imprisoned over 300000 of them in Nazi like concentration camps and were forced release them only after international pressure. Palestinians and the Palestinian authority as well as other Muslim nations cannot celebrate, the killings of and war crimes committed on other people and honour the person responsible for this, as it suits their agenda, then ask the representatives of the same people to fight for them when war crimes are committed upon them. At least Anandsagaree did not celebrate and honour the people who committed all these atrocities on the Palestinians and what is wrong with him voicing his concern for the plight of his own people, when no one else including you do not. Lots of people, including you are voicing their concern for the Palestinians but hardly for the Eezham Thamizh who face the same plight, and this includes you.
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SJ / February 18, 2024
PK
Do you know the difference between Palestinian Authority and Hamas?
The PA is grateful to anyone who stands by them in times of trouble.
Can we say that of Tamil nationalists who now suck up to Israel forgetting what the PLO did for them?
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Pandi Kutti / February 19, 2024
Rubbish and I know the different between both and again as usual trying to fawn to Chingkalla racists and to local and foreign Islamic extremists at the expense of your own people and against their interests. PA is grateful to anyone who stands by them in trouble! Oh yes very grateful even when they commit genocide and war crimes on another people, but these people do not matter just themselves. You really are a treat. What sort of rubbish excuse is this, to support a war criminal, just because he stands by them. So genocide and war crimes committed on Palestinian Arabs is a crime, but the same thing committed on Eezham Thamizh is fine and their lives and rights to do not matter, as the perpetrator of these crimes, supports Palestinian rights but not just Thamizh rights at home. This means to the Palestinian Authority is a fraud as to them Thamizh and similar people and their rights do not matter, and their sufferings are insignificant, but they matter. Most probably even to a self-hating Thamizh like you.
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Pandi Kutti / February 19, 2024
You really indeed are treat a man for some reason full of hate for his own people and want them to be damned and will support anyone who advocates or does it. If the Palestinians support other war criminals and people who commit genocide on other people, just because they think these people do not matter, just like the Sri Lankan Thamizh or others, or that the perpetrator of these crimes supports them or is strategically important then they are frauds and have no moral grounds to ask others to support them, as they too have double standards just like the way the Palestinian grand Mufti supported Hitler to commit genocide on the European Jews, as he was against Zionism and did not want fleeing European Jews settling in Palestine. These Arabs and other Muslims always have double standards, even these fake Arab Thamizh Sri Lankan Muslims. Join the Chingkallams to commit war crimes dispossess and discriminate the island’s Thamizh with the intention of stealing Thamizh lands, especially in the east, where they arrived a few centuries ago as refugees fleeing persecution claiming to be Thamizh. Now after settling and multiplying, want to steal the land from the original Thamizh owners, who gave them refuge, with Chingkalla help in the name of Islam and a fake Arab origin. Not Thamizh anymore but Arab
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Pandi Kutti / February 19, 2024
No Thamizh organization nationalist or otherwise has snuck up to Israel or made pro-Israeli comments. Please do not spread lies to suit your diabolical agenda. As we all know that Israel is a racist apartheid state and looks down upon other dark people, wants a land in Asia and is in Asia but looks down upon other Asian/African and eastern people of colour and badly wants to be white European. The Jews of Lord Jesus’s time and the present largely Ashkenazim European Jews who rule Israel are very different. Thamizh also know Israel’s dirty part in the Eezham Thamizh genocide, especially in the east and their double game. If individual Thamizh like many Individual Chingkallams and other people support Israel and what they are doing to the Palestinians, for whatever reason be it religious or other political leanings, that is their concern and not the responsibility of Thamizh organizations. Local or otherwise none of them have ever supported Israel, therefore stop lying. It is the Chingkalla Sri Lankan state that supports Israel not the Thamizh. Please read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_al-Husseini
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Rohan25 / February 19, 2024
SJ, so it is fine for then Sri Lankan state and the Rajapakse’s to be concerned about Palestinian human rights and the war crimes/genocide committed on them but show no concern and trample the human rights of the island’s Tamils and commit war crimes and genocide on them and the Palestinian authority to condone this, as the Sri Lankan state and the Rajapakse’s are their supporters, so the human rights of the island’s Tamils does not matter and this fine for them and you and many others, most probably even to the author of this article, who most probably is now in the west as he is a Tamil, fleeing Sinhalese persecution but now does not care. What sort of logic is this? Gary Anandasagaree has been elected by his people/electorate on a certain mandate including speaking about the rights of the Sri Lankan Tamilss and he is a Tamil from Sri Lanka, so what is your problem and this Pitasena’s problem?
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Rohan25 / February 19, 2024
No once hardly cares about the rights of the Sri Lankan Tamils, including you and if someone speaks out for them then good on them. There are lots of Muslim and other Arab organizations and MPS in Canada to screech about Palestinian Arab rights and these people do not speak about Sri Lankan Tamil rights and this includes the Sri Lankan Muslims who are Tamil. Why is this author not condemning them but selectively attacking Gary Anandasagaree about speaking about what is happening to the island’s Tamils in the Canadian Parliament? Why does he want to shut him up. How did he come to this strange conclusion that Anandasagaree is supporting Israel just because he did not mention or run around the streets marching for Palestine. Did the author do this. I did not, that does not mean I support Israel. What a strange logic.
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Rohan25 / February 19, 2024
Please provide us proof of which Tamil organizations that are supporting Israel. As the state of Israel colluded and provided support the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state to commit war crimes and genocide on the island’s Tamils and I will never support them nor will 99% of the island’s Tamils, we may not jump up and down for the Palestinian Arabs but our sympathy like most people in the world is for their plight, as we face the same, irrespective of what the Palestinian Authority does.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
When did that happened? When you were hallucinating in Deva’s Kottle?
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old codger / February 17, 2024
Politicians are Politicians. They have to win the next election. So, keeping quiet helps him get the votes of devoutly pro-Israel voters. He can only talk about Tamils if he’s in Parliament, right?
On the other hand, if he was a civil society activist, he could be as consistent as he likes. But on this forum, even commenters are consistently contradictory.
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Ajith / February 17, 2024
“However, questions arise about Anandasangaree’s human rights commitment given his silence on Israel’s recent Gaza offensive, which mirrors Sri Lanka’s actions in 2009.”
Being as a Sri Lankan origin Gary Ananthasagary has a right to bring Sinhalese government’s accountable for genocide of Tamils in his mother land. Yes, Sinhalese government also raised voice in support of Palestines. Did any Sinhalese raised voice against their government? I don’t know why the author specific about Gary Ananthasangaree instead of others. China and Russia always support Sinhalese government in United Nations. Do they have the right to Palestine genocide while supporting genocide in Sinhala Nation?
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SJ / February 17, 2024
” China and Russia always support Sinhalese government in United Nations.”
Why pick on these two? Many more supported Sri Lanka against bullying by a big power which has weaponized ‘human rights’.
BTW
You know which country attacked and killed Tamils on Lankan soil in large numbers, and silence on that matter is dishonest.
The same country wrecked peace talks between GoSL & LTTE and actively participated in military action against the LTTE.
Is memory playing tricks on you?
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Ajith / February 17, 2024
SJ, I know that when you see “China” in a comment your blood pressure doubles. But that is a fact. I know well what other nations collaborated with Sinhala military to kill Tamils but this comment is related to author targetting Gary Ananthasangaree personally in this matter.
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SJ / February 18, 2024
Perhaps, but not a fraction as much as yours when there is the slightest hint to Thalaivar or his cyanide brigade.
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SJ / February 18, 2024
By the way may I now what changed the mind of LTTE devotees about India recently?
Why do they go to great lengths to cover up Indian crimes against Tamils.
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Ajith / February 18, 2024
Crimes are Crimes whether it is Indian or Chinese or LTTE or Sinhalam. But your 75 years Sinhalese crimes is worse than any other crimes.
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SJ / February 19, 2024
Try answering my simple question before starting your fit of screaming.
Why do you want to cover up?
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Learn to ask the question first.
Please if you have a question, ask it straightforwardly.
Who are those people being labeled by you as devotees?
When is your “recent” meaning?
What incident makes you assume the so-called devotees have changed their mind. Could you explain what needs to be explained in a human being changing their mind? What do you expect to be explained?
May I ask you a question? What kind of conspiracy theory book you read on Tamils or India, which is making you folate a new convoluted question?
May I ask one more question? Why could you not be straight forward? Is that because you think when somebody starts to answer that question you will get a chance to convolute all and blame all others then yourself, Deva and Vasanti? How many times have I asked you why Vasanthi used University letterhead to Old Rowdy Kings’ election propaganda?
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SJ / February 20, 2024
It is a straightforward question:
“Why do you want to cover up?”
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SJ / February 20, 2024
But you omit names conveniently.
You are an ardent defender of a bunch of criminals.
I have no such loyalties.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
” China and Russia always support Sinhalese government in United Nations.”
Do you know the meaning for always? Do you know Pitasanna did not condemn Putin poisoning 2nd time and killing Alexi but beating up Garry. Why? Is that because that incident has not yet on any of the conspiracy theory books you always quote?
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SJ / February 20, 2024
As always, always will always have many meanings.
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Lester / February 17, 2024
We can draw comparisons between Hamas terrorists and LTTE terrorists. Both hid among civilian populations and used them as human shields. In both cases, the larger goal was to create a humanitarian crisis that would force the other side to agree to a ceasefire. On the other hand, there is a significant difference between the way Israel treats Palestinian civilians and the treatment accorded to Tamil civilians by GOSL. Israel treats Palestinian civilians with callous disregard. In the Israeli mind, they are part of the same population as Hamas. In comparison, the SLA treated both Tamil civilians and low-ranking LTTE with dignity and respect. More than 12000 ex-LTTE were rehabilitated and didn’t spend a single day in jail.Furthermore, Israel wants to expand the size of Jewish settlements within the vicinity of Palestinian land. GOSL has no such ambitions.
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nimal fernando / February 17, 2024
Why Gary? ………. He’s Sathiyasangaree.
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Never heard of a Tamil Gary …….. no wonder he has problems!
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He better start giving his ID Card No ……. so people don’t mistake him for Gary Glitter.
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old codger / February 18, 2024
Nimal,
You can’t expect a red-blooded Canadian to say “Sathyasangaree”. Five (6?) syllables???
Garee is OK or even shorter, Gary.
Don’t they call you Nee?
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nimal fernando / February 18, 2024
“Nee”
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Dont mind anything ……. other than “Tush”
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old codger / February 19, 2024
Nimal,
There is Tush Wickramanayaka……
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/state-sponsored-child-abuse-will-sri-lanka-honor-unhrc-recommendations/
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Paul / February 19, 2024
I once met an Englishman who told me he knew a Sri Lankan called Sealer Mew Tew…….he turned out to be Sellamuttu.
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Velu / February 17, 2024
Hello P.Shan,
Don’t shed crocodile tears for the Palestinians or E-Tamils. Do you know/understand what a minister/MP has to tell about any external affairs before he tell/express his views. He should get the ok from the cabinet/PM before he does so. Did A. Gary tell you that he did talk to his cabinet/PM and didn’t get the nod from them or got the nod from them. Stop b….shitting about A.Gary he is a powerful voice for the E-Tamils in Canada. If you are living in Canada, you should know this. Simply you are paid to raise this fuss about A.Gary to satisfy your pay masters wishes, who are in SL-embassy in Ottawa and/or the SL. You seem to be like DBS Jeyaraj, he doesn’t have any constructive things to write about the E-Tamils in Canada instead digging the LTTE dirt of the past and writing about it Daily Mirror.
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SJ / February 20, 2024
“Simply you are paid to raise this fuss about A.Gary to satisfy your pay masters wishes….”
Have we not travelled along this rough road too far and for too long since the time when gangs of young gunmen claimed that it was right to kill Tamil traitors?
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Plato / February 18, 2024
Pitasanna.
Unusual name and also a familiar name on the treatment of Dalits.
So what you say is not so young Gary is going to end up as a Canadian Pensioner and lead a comfortable life with his family,resting on his laurels, on the banks of Lake Muskoka.instead on the banks of Nandikadal………….
But then you too prefer the banks of the River Thames………..
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Pandi Kutti / February 19, 2024
Yes, has run to the west like his guru, as a Thamizh who could not live under state sponsored Chingkalla racism and claimed to be affected by this but now once established there, just like his guru constantly runs down the Thamizh, belittles their struggle for just rights. completely ignores what caused it, still causing and the reason their own family had to flee to the west but now has become a mouthpiece for Chingkalla racism and attack any Thamizh who speaks out for just Thamizh rights on the island.
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Agnos / February 19, 2024
Hey Pitasanna,
An MP and a cabinet minister needs to pay attention to his constituents’ views as well as the views of the party leaders. There was a time when leaders used to boldly stand up for what was right and then asked their constituents to follow them.
I don’t see that anymore, particularly in the West. It is all about careers and calculations, and how constituents will react.
People caught up in rat races can only act like rats and cannot be genuine. Why single out a Tamil guy? In his place, would you would have done differently? I doubt it. To do otherwise requires a fundamental systemic change, with people not placing so much emphasis on $$ and careers, prioritizing values and integrity.
Realistically, I think such a change might become possible only when the immigration levels slowly take North America to a tipping point where the percentage of the white population goes below 50% nationwide ( right now, it is already true in some places like California, but not nationwide.)
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SJ / February 19, 2024
A
In fairness, he belongs to the same community and so possible deception is a bigger issue here.
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Agnos / February 19, 2024
SJ,
Deception?
Look at the progressive caucus in the U.S.
It is chaired by Pramila Jayapal, originally from Tamil Nadu. She has been very supportive of Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian Congresswoman, in speaking out on behalf of the Palestinians. But when the latter said Biden was supporting the genocide of Palestinians, Jayapal had to choose her words carefully, saying while Israel was hurtling toward such genocide, she wouldn’t accuse Biden as such.
Politicians face all sorts of constraints.
A couple of observations:
1. Pitasanna is implying Gary’s father, Anandasangaree, was principled. But Sangaree was happy with the TULF until there was a leadership squabble between him and Sampanthan, and he kept issuing laughable open letters to the press, even as he was getting state security and got some HR awards from India. Hardly principled.
2. Tamil nationalists might have once been motivated by Israel’s creation, but that changed a long time ago as the Israeli governments illegally increased settlements and oppressed the Palestinians more.
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SJ / February 19, 2024
A
Old man Anandasangaree did not come in the FP tradition.
He was more of a grass roots politician than the FP leaders. He knew the pulse of the electorate. He demanded making Kilinochchi a separate district to benefit from district quota. He was more loyal to India than the TULF leaders who wanted to compromise with the LTTE to win a few more seats. The LTTE wanted him out. The TULF hastily summoned a general body meeting and sacked him as leader of the TULF in absentia. He went to court and had his way, and the TULF leaders had now to be rid of the TULF. They formed the TUF in a hurry, won LTTE endorsement and paid the price fir it. India would not touch them with a barge pole.
The squabble was not with Sampanthan, but with the LTTE and Sampanthan was putty in VP’s hands from 2002/3 or so until 2009.
Anandasangaree got bitterly hostile to the LTTE, but continued with his polite open letters to VP. He sided with the government, very much in CBK’s time.
I do not consider him clean, but no dirtier than his TNA counterparts.
Name one principled Tamil nationalist politician in parliamentary politics if you can.
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SJ / February 19, 2024
As for affinity for Israel, it has not gone.
After the Satyagraha fiasco, the Suthanthiran serialized a translation of the novel Exodus. That was the start of the nascent separatist agenda of the ‘Inner circle’.
Even today i read comments idolizing Israel by the older generation.
Now that is linked with faith in the US and the proximity of the US to Israel.
very few dare to take a stand on Gaza even on these pages. Some make use of the anti-Muslim prejudice among Tamils to keep away.
However, I will not be dismissive of the love that started in 1962 or so and endured decades. Its emotional impact holds.
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SJ / February 19, 2024
A
ps.
My relevant comment was directed at the vociferous Tamil nationalist here.
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Lester / February 20, 2024
Canada banned the LTTE as a terrorist group, but also sanctioned the only people who made a serious effort to stop them, over unproven allegations of war crimes. It just shows you that politicians are after money or votes, rather than following common sense. In this case, votes. If Canada was serious about banning the LTTE, they would deport or imprison the Diaspora financiers.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
However, questions arise about Anandasangaree’s human rights commitment given his silence on Israel’s recent Gaza offensive, which mirrors Sri Lanka’s actions in 2009.
While Israel has been escalating its offensive in Gaza, the Canadian government has ramped up arms sales. Since the October 7th offensive, Canada has authorized over $28 million in exports of military goods and technology to Israel. Such arms sales are in violation of Canada’s own domestic arms control laws as well as in violation of international law, both of which prohibits a country from selling arms to any nation likely to use those arms to engage in human rights violations.
Trudeau has also come under scrutiny for cutting off aid to UNRWA—the United Nations relief organization for Palestinian refugees—which serves as a vital lifeline for Palestinians in Gaza. This decision came amidst unsubstantiated reports from Israeli officials accusing a dozen UNRWA employees of having affiliations with Hamas forces.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Utterly garbage to read this type of argument. It is only at the tip of the iceberg. Under no circumstances did any of the arguments Pitasanna had produced question the genuineness of the minister Gary Anandasangaree on the Human rights issue. There is no where Pitasanna has produced that Gary Anandasangaree had personally violated anybody’s human rights, like Old Rowdy King or Hitler King, who are Pitasanna superfluously compared to Garry. That is nothing but insincere, dishonest, ridiculous behavior of Pitasanna. There is no knowledge of Gary being involved in any human right violations positively in a provable manner. At least in all the smearing writing Pitasanna presented, here! This political inference into Garry’s inaction Pitasanna tried to present in the cover of himself as a human right activist probably indicates that he is interested in Garry’s seat but fearing that the Canadian Tamils will not have faith in him by his past ant-Tamil writings. Because there is no positive evidence, Pitasanna is struggling to squeeze him through the back door. He designates Garry as a human right violator, on the ground Garry did not go for campaign against Israel as Pitasanna wants. To become a campaign agent under Pitasanna, Gary must resign his minister position under Trudeau.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Out of the 130 nations who supported the UNGA resolution against Israel, only about 25 supported the UNHRC resolution on war crimes of the Old Rowdy Royals. Pitasanna, who cried in the past against Tamils taking their case to UNHRC, is now crying for Palestinians, is clear evidence of Pitasenna’s hypocrisy and his short cut techniques to popularity and positions. Canada’s arms export is not prevented by the Arms Trade Treaty as Pitasanna has quoted. He apparently misunderstood the treaty. Almost all the provisions are voluntary withholding. Canada, after the arrival of PM Trudeau, accepted 100s of 1000s of Middle East Muslims. Ignoring or ridiculing that mountainous truth, how can one honestly arrive at a conclusion that the Trudeau administration is hypocrites? This is more than a smearing attempt. In that issue. Canada is the largest recipient of Muslim refugees for permanent residency. Not any Muslim countries, who fear allowing the Palestinian refugees will destroy their current demographic composition and it will sooner or later would create similar situation in their countries like what is happening in Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan. As a matter of fact, any major player in the Israeli-Hamas war is taking a position on that issue because they have a political interest to do that. But Canada taking it as an international issue under humanitarian matters and UN’s common issue for all countries.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Rowdy Langkang took arms and training from Israel to suppress Tamils and kicked the American Ambassador out of office when the Embassy moving to the Jerusalem office case was in discussion. When the loan default was only $1.5B, the Evil Emperor avoided taking a loan from the IMF but sold the Hangbangtota Port to China. But took a loan from the IMF when the loan payments exceeded $30B and sent their ships to fight in the Red Sea. Why didn’t Pitasanna write about these? Is that because these all seem to be usual, not hypocrisy to Pitasanna?
This Israel-Hamas war is beyond war crime issue for Canada. It is an internal relationship matter for Canada. There is a policy for Canada on its international relations. Then it decides which countries are its friends and which are its foe. It is very common that many countries take the friendly countries’ faults for secret diplomatic discussions, before starting to oppose in international platforms. It has been the news for a long time that President Biden has been dealing with the Israeli-Hamas war in secret diplomatic negotiation at many times higher level than at UN or UNSC. PM Netanyahu never enjoyed an equal influence in the Washington administration as much as other Israeli PMs enjoyed in the recent history. Some countries think deciding first on Palestinian’s country first will cool down their outlook on Israel.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
But some think unless Hamas is eliminated before solution, it will come back and make Palestine as another Afghanistan. So, they are not in a hurry to create two countries while Hamas is there. That is a difference in political opinion, not hypocrisy on human rights violations. There is no, even 1% similarity, in comparison with Tamils for Palestinians. Almost all countries feel the Palestinian and Israelis are their people. But on Tamils’ issue, many’ s attitude is let the dogs bite each other & both go annihilated but why try to save them?
Everybody talks about Israel capturing Palestinian’s land, but how many honestly wrote Appe Aanduwa using Muslims to capture the Eastern Province? Where are the Eastern Province population statistics and land held by Tamil when Britain created a new country Ceylon and handed over it to Sinhala Buddhists?
As a minister, there were not many positions for Garry to maneuver on his own. That is why Pitasanna mixing Garry’s human right standing with PM Trudeau. At the start Canada was towards Palestine. But after UNRWA’s issues, Canada readjusted itself. (Unlike Garry confusing that Garry dismissed the volunteers participating in the terror attack, the evidence was obtained from arrested Hamas members and submitted to the UN. UNRWA dismissed the workers. Further taking up that issue on Garry, irreverently, tells that Pitasanna has no problems with Garry, but grudge.)
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Payment to UNRWA is 100% voluntary action. It is not an UN assessment due in Canada. Canada pays the UN fee separately. There is no need for Canada to pay for it when UNRWA officials assess that the payment is not achieving the objective. These payments, like GSP +, are always used to push the recipient towards good conduct. Canada is going to continue to use it in that way. Blaming Garry for that is only the immaturity symptoms of Pitasanna, on the political instruments used in international space, outside of the UN. During the Eelam war, the UN stopped all its aid to Tamils, (100% completely) and called back its staff. Even the ICRC did some prejudiced actions against Tamils. When the Indian houses were allocated, the appointed ICRC employees obtained sexual favors from the war victims to allocate them houses. But ICRC did nothing about it. That kept going even after UNHRC had fired the Paranagama Commission, which was supposed to take care of the missing persons’ relatives but was using its employees to spy on the relatives’ missing persons. Those employees demanded tribute and bribes, and raped mothers in front of their family members. Pitasanna past writing in CT is not showing him lime lighting these issues, because of his hypocrisy on Tamils’ human rights.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
Similar incidents to what happened in Langkang took place in the Yazidis community by ISIS, in the2010s. Though America annihilated ISIS, but accepted the Rapist Army’s requests and abolished the SLMM, which was giving protection to Tamils from Rapist Army. When it comes to Evil’s administration, American diplomats customarily misjudge the nature of the issues. This is why America protected Evil, who was protecting Rowdy Royals’ loots, and which were listed as money laundering by EU and FTFA and that listing broke the people’s bank from paying in time for the Chinese poop but induced it to find bogus explanation for a LC due. Langkang peacekeepers raped the victims in many countries they served. Pitasenna’s hypocritical silence on the Paranagama commission tells Pitasanna and Sadampi are only two bogus illuminators: that’s all!
Pitasanna wrote nothing about the Paranagama Commission, but said the Canadian government is not ready to accept the lame duck excuses the Palestine Management team of UNRWA wants to give them.
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Mallaiyuran / February 20, 2024
He should go back and try to find some positive proof that Garry was engaged in Human right violations like Appe Aanduwa did or Hamas Aanduwa doing. You are crying of Israel occupying land offered to Palatienina. Why that hypocrisy is not being applied on that where the Muslims MPs have griped Tamils lands all over in the East and Mullaitivu. East was Tamil Province, until recently i.e. until Hakeem and Rishard became the Ministers of Chitanta -Yahapalanaya governments. Are you a Muslims for being silent on that? Garry is a Tamil. He took Tamils’ Human rights issue to Canada. He is only Canadian Human Rights minister, for Canada, not for the UN to apply his office’s positions to the Israel-Hamas war. He is not getting involved in the Israel – Hamas war as it has been handled with some others by Trudeau’s government.
There are many postings of Pitasanna in CT, being dead against Tamils, are sitting on CT. If Pitasanna wants, we all can go through them one more time. Pitasanna was showing his honest anti-Tamil and anti-West standings that time. But when the time passed, he became a hypocritical human rights activist.
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