Common opinions expressed on behalf of the Tamil migrants who have arrived in a Ship in Canada:
Letter 1: These are the views we wish to express to the Canadian Government, Canadian people, media and Canadian Tamil Congress regarding our plight.
1. Initially, we would like to express our gratitude to the Canadian Government and the people of Canada. When we made our plea from
the Pacific ocean “we are civilians, please save us”, you did not
hesitate to come and take us ashore and provide us with food, water, and
fruits. This has assured us with the safety of our lives.
2. The Sri Lankan Government says that the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has come to an end. However,
neither the Prevention of Terrorism Act [which allows for arbitrary
arrest of civilians] nor the Emergency Regulations Act have been
abolished. Innocent Tamil people detained in prisons have not been released. Displaced civilians have not been resettled in their own homes. Instead, there is widespread occurrences of disappearances, mass murders and extortion. The Sri Lankan Government is only conducting false propaganda internationally for its personal gains.
3. We would like to ask the Canadian people and the Canadian Government to have faith in us to believe that we are innocent civilians who have been affected by the conflict. We are not terrorists. We would also like to let you know that we will abide and live by the laws of this country.
Letter 2:
We, the people who
have arrived in the ship “Sun Sea” would like to express the following
to the Canadian people and the Canadian Government:
We have undergone
severe hardships with very little or no access to basic necessities such
as food, water, sleeping space, medicine and sanitary facilities. We have traveled for almost four months with much suffering and pain. We
have come here, to this wonderful country Canada, to protect ourselves
and our family members from the murders, disappearances and violence
that still exist in our native country.
As a country which
has embraced immigrants and migrants, we hope and believe that you will
accept us, the refugees and we vow to wholeheartedly abide by the law
and order of this country.
- Tamil people from the Sun Sea ship
