“ Hapless Harper Cuddles up to the LTTE for votes”

Stephen Harper’s excited call for an “independent international investigation” into the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka, while being unbelievably misplaced, comes at a crucial juncture in Sri Lanka’s history as it prepares to host the next CHOGM and the next Commonwealth Games.

In an interview with CMR, the cowboy from Calgary, also stated that he “Intends to make it clear to my fellow leaders that, if we do not see progress in Sri Lanka in terms of human rights and accountability issues, as the Prime Minister of Canada, I would not attend the Summit in 2013”. These emotional statements by a somewhat conservative leader, who may not be occupying the PM’s house in 2013, surprised the international community and the Sri Lankan authorities. Is this a reflection of Harper’s vested interest and political aspirations?

Is it a not too transparent move to secure Tamil diaspora votes? But, in terms of eliminating the misuse of democracy and standing up to domestic pressure groups, it’s a pathetic display of cowardice. However, the CHOGM ignored the hapless Harper and confirmed CHOGM 2013 to Sri Lanka and the efforts by the likes of Harper, Rudd, et al to establish a Commonwealth HR Head Honcho were shouted down by 16 countries.

The ability of terrorist pressure groups to operate in Canada and influence politicians is becoming an increasing concern. This isn’t the first time that a Canadian politician has succumbed to the temptations of the “minority vote”, (despite the fact that the minority funded, armed and trained terrorists). In 2000, the then Finance Minister Paul Martin and Member of Parliament Maria Minna lent their weight to legitimatize a terrorist organization by attending a fund raiser for the LTTE. It was established that funds raised in Canada were used to purchase explosives for the LTTE. More recently the Canadian LTTE mouth piece, Jim Karygiannis, went as far as to eulogize the departed tiger supremo, Prabhakaran at a “Pongu Thamizh” (Tamil Uprising) event in Toronto.

Informed sources refer to the infiltration of western diplomatic missions in Colombo, including Canada, by the shadow LTTE, with individuals planted as drivers and domestic workers (even to this day). While the moles carry on a whispering campaign, more prominent members of society sympathetic to the LTTE do it more blatantly at cocktail parties, private engagements with the western diplomatic community and in the night spots. The views of these filter to the capitals. This mutually beneficial, clandestine relationship between the missions and the LTTE seems to be flourishing to Sri Lanka’s disadvantage.

Indeed, Canada has been considered a “safe haven” for terrorists and their allies for decades. Case in point: The Khalistani Sikhs, who used Canada as their base through the years and ultimately masterminded the bombing of the Air India flight 182. The shoddy immigration policies and less than effective counterterrorism laws have made it all too easy for pressure groups and terror remnants operating on Canadian soil to carry out their separatist causes while raising finances to support terrorism all over the globe.

The release of 25 LTTE (including one member of the “black tiger suicide squad” wanted by INTERPOL) cadres from the immigration detention centre in British Columbia is another instance which highlights the duplicity in Canada’s counter terrorism policies and the significant influence of the Tamil diaspora. According to intelligence briefs by The CSIS, the ship, “Ocean Lady”, which carried the 25 terrorists to Canadian shores, was also used to smuggle weapons from North Korea to Sri Lanka and it glowed with traces of explosives. Perhaps Canada, which has been furious in its efforts to investigate Sri Lanka at the UNHRC (thankfully where it was not entertained, due to the better judgment of the wider international community) should be more concerned about human rights violations by the cesspool of terrorist rampaging around in their own backyard.

Over 300,000 “immigrants” of the Tamil Diaspora constitute a major chunk of the Canadian vote bank. So it’s no surprise that Harper yielded to the pressures of the rump LTTE to enjoy continued campaign funding. According to the CSIS, the LTTE has raised money ( as high as $130 mn. annually) through extortion, organized crime and LTTE front organizations such as the World Tamil Movement and the Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils. Amnesty International has documented the LTTE fundraising in Toronto.

The involvement of the LTTE in illegal activities such as drug trafficking, human smuggling, credit card fraud, passport forgery and fraud in Canada is well documented. In fact, a study by the McKenzie Institute revealed that the LTTE fund raising machine is “the most sophisticated of any terrorist organization being undertaken on Canadian soil”. The perpetrators, thanks to the likes of Mr. Harper are still at large. It seems that when you have friends in high places (whose election campaign you just happened to fund), violating domestic and international law, and getting away with it is a fringe benefit. In the dog eat dog world of politics, fighting for survival is understandable. But as the leader of a nation which wields somewhat of a global influence, he must bear in mind the repercussions of his selective “policies”.

Canada also sought the support of the other three rich white nations of the Commonwealth (the UK, New Zealand and Australia) to boycott the next Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka. Why? Was it because it’s painful to see a small, developing nation achieve what a collaboration of the most powerful nations couldn’t do? Or perhaps the thought of prosperity, freedom and democracy in former colonies is too hard to stomach, as the xenophobic mindset of some goes back to the early 1900’s. During the South African apartheid era, where the rights of the majority 'non-white' people were curtailed, Canada and its white buddies were silent for a long time.

Mr. Harper’s actions (or inaction) I fear, will not only affect Canada’s domestic peace (that all immigrants relish) but condemn future generations of a nation finally recovering after 30 years of bloody conflict.

- Asian Tribune -