Archive for the ‘Tamil History/Culture’ Category
11th Anniversary of Sencholai MassacreBy Editor - August 14th, 2017 |
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Imagine yourself in a classroom, in the midst of a civil war. You are fearing the worst, but continue your life as a normal day. You head to your all female school and are in the classroom. Around 7:30am, when you are barely awake you hear an aircraft flying above you. You have been taught to duck and seek shelter. However, it is too late. Everything goes dark, and you hear a huge blast. What is it? Am I alive? Can I open my eyes? These questions run through your mind. You open your eyes, and try to move. Your leg is pinned down by a piece of debris. |
Sri Lanka: A Not So Paradise Island,By Editor - March 24th, 2016 |
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Sri Lanka: A Not So Paradise Island, is a conference held by Tamil Youth Organization – Canada (TYO) to educate everyone about the real face of Sri Lanka. Many people believe that “the war has ended” in 2009, however, the Tamil natives of the island continue to be oppressed and face structural genocide |
Midila Writes – The Tear-Shaped IslandBy Editor - January 26th, 2016 |
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Written By: Midila Anton The Body Of my home Carries the struggles Of my people – The tear-shaped island Midila Anton is wrapping up her final year in Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. Passionate about social issues, she is highly involved in the community. She is the founder and president of the… |
I am Canadian, but I am Thamizh firstBy Editor - January 10th, 2016 |
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As a Tamil |
Regenesis – Book DriveBy Editor - May 29th, 2015 |
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Regenesis: new birth, renewal. A book drive will be held at Scarborough Civic Centre on June 1 starting at 3:00 p.m., in memory of the burning of the Jaffna Library on the nights of May 31st and June 1st, 1981. All books will be donated to the SickKids Hospital. |
Thangachi’s Corner: What is your background?By Editor - February 27th, 2015 |
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Where am I from? That’s the question I posed my grade four’s last week when one of the girls walked in at the beginning of the period, readily prepared to burst into tears. And it’s certainly a problematic question, isn’t it? After all, by “from”, I could be referring to the geographical location from which I arrived to Canada. Or perhaps I mean the country from which my parents immigrated here. It’s an altogether tricky question, especially when taking into consideration a rather diverse community made up of various cultures, languages and religious beliefs. |
News Release: CTYA Welcomes NPC ResolutionBy Editor - February 12th, 2015 |
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On February 10th, 2015, the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), with overwhelming support, passed a resolution calling for an international investigation into the ongoing genocide perpetrated by the Sri Lankan Government against Eelam Tamils. The Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) welcomes this resolution as a meaningful move towards justice and the freedom of the Eelam Tamil Nation. |
Opening of Bharathy Noolagam, OttawaBy Editor - January 24th, 2015 |
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Noolagam, nool meaning book and agam meaning home, has found a home again in Ottawa, Ontario. Bharathy Noolagam was opened in Ottawa on November 1st, 2014 with the hard work of volunteers, administrators, and the Ottawa Tamil community. Ottawa with its small Tamil community has always aspired to have a Tamil Library so that its current and future generations can learn Tamil and enjoy Tamil literature. Bharathy library was initiated 10 years ago by the community and functioned in a small fashion. With a modest amount of books, the library survived and later closed due to unforeseeable circumstances. |
Structural Violence and Structural Genocide: Building a feminist framework of national oppression and national liberationBy Admin - December 22nd, 2014 |
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Written By: Jessica Chandrashekar and Roshni Raveenthiran The following is a discussion that emerged out of a conference that dealt with questions of feminisms and structural violence in contexts of war, authoritarianism and genocide. We focus on the presentation that Tasha Manoranjan gave titled “Gendered Genocide: Sri Lanka’s War Against Tamils”. The purpose of this piece is to share what we learned from Tasha’s talk, as well as our thoughts on structural violence and the Tamil genocide. By naming violence as ‘structural’ we are showing how violence is more than just one individual harming another individual. Violence is made possible and enabled by institutions such as the legal system, the state and the media. These institutions are created or structured so that some people gain certain privileges and protections, while other people are oppressed. We want to open up a discussion about the structural dynamics of the Tamil genocide. We feel that this discussion is important and necessary, particularly in our current context. In this current moment the UN OISL is writing their report and will make recommendations to the international community; there are debates on dropping the term ‘genocide’; and Eezham Tamils- particularly those in the Vanni, are struggling against colonization and military occupation. The month in which we began our discussion is significant because our conversations on structural violence and the Tamil genocide took place during November. November is the month of Maaveerar Naal, a day of remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and liberation of Eezham Tamils. As such, we discussed three questions and below we share with you our collective thoughts. [read more inside] |
Waiting For DawnBy Admin - November 17th, 2014 |
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Written By: Keera Ratnam That day has not yet come. My people, the Tamil people, and I have been suffering from physical and mental torture. We’ve been stripped our rights and privileges – and have become muted. Despite all the suffering, we are not able to speak our voices. Why, you may ask? Why we have not spoke out? But the truth is, we are not allowed to speak. And when we do try to let our voices be heard, it is silenced. From the tiniest quarrel from our youngest living to the last standing alive. But do not worry, my brothers and sisters are not hopeless. We too believe that we will be free one day. We left our homes, family and dreams in search of a new day and to bring a day of light to our people. We are the children of today, we must work to give light to the ones that will rise tomorrow. We took oath. An oath to fight till the end, and we must vow to fight, from dawn till dusk, until a new horizon is risen. We walked many miles, up many hills, dug many bunkers, fled from forest to forest, and fled from house to house. We held on to every mother and father, and promised to protect them as our own. We watched our friends cry in pain, fall within our arms asking us to hold on tight, tighter. We carried the dead, to put them to rest, and took them home for their families to see. Mothers yelled, cried and fell down to their feet. Asking their child’s body if they can have the one last chance to meet, talk, hug. Many of us lost arms and legs. Many lost their lives and some gave up their livelihood. They did not rest, they did not stop, they went on as each fighter fell. As death came closer, they said, beneath the ground we shall go, but will up-rise again as young springs and continue on with our journey until the rays of sunlight from tomorrow shines upon us with delight. From Dawn till Dusk we shall not sleep, beneath the ground we shall not rest, until the day has come for the birth of our nation. |
