Conflict-Afflicted

"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."

Who could not fail to be moved by those words of heartfelt gratitude? Who could possibly be so inhumanely churlish as to grumble, 'well the Aussies didn't want you, and we were given no choice, then were we'? No choice, precisely, since by lawful international regulation Canada cannot refuse entry by any route taken to reach our shores by refugees desperate for shelter; whether by air, land or sea.

And Canadians all, (well, almost all) would never again refuse entry to desperate, homeless people. We've experienced that, in a series of blatantly racist, human-rights-abusing decisions in the past, when this country did not hesitate to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the frantic pleas of people hounded and abused, exploited and fearful for their lives by their own governments.

A few questions remain to be answered, along with the sober understanding that it is well known that Sri Lanka does not represent a comfortable home for Tamils, within the larger Sinhalese population that has traditionally seen its minority Tamils as inferior, and treated them accordingly.

Giving rise to the militantly brutal Tamil Tigers whose violent exploits in pioneering atrocities gave inspiration to other 'freedom-loving' groups around the Globe, also recognized by most governments as terrorist in purpose and nature. If the Sri Lankan government visited harm on its Tamils, the Tigers returned the compliment in spades - incidentally not sparing their own.

So that is a most troubling situation to be fleeing from; ongoing persecution, despite the end of the civil war. The knowledge that the Tigers are regrouping, finding new ways to finance their activities, and searching for new safe perches from which to launch their resurgent war that will not die, does not inspire confidence in Canada's government respecting a new batch of Tamil refugees.

Joining the quarter-million already resident within the country who have amply, in the past, demonstrated their ongoing loyalty to the concept of a Tamil homeland, and somewhat less to Canada. There is, additionally, the inconvenient reality of the world hosting millions of miserable refugees in camps all over the world, anxious to be adopted into a country that will become their future and that of their children.

They await the selection process, orderly and fair. None of them have been able to amass a small fortune of $40- to $50-thousand dollars per head to have themselves smuggled across the seas into the welcoming arms of Canada's border agents. It is not that Canada has no wish to be helpful. It is that it is not helpful to Canada to be forced to accept people whose condition is dire but not as desperate, for example, as those waiting to be rescued from Sudan, from Congo, etc.

"As a country which has embraced immigrants and migrants, we hope and believe that you will accept us, the refugees and we vow to whole-heartedly abide by the law and order of this country."

An admirable and politic statement of intent. One which it is hoped that the new refugees will take pains to teach to those who arrived before them. For among them have been many who have not dedicated themselves to upholding and abiding by the law and order of this country. They have mounted rallies and fund-raising activities on behalf of the Tamil Tigers, whom this country's authorities have deemed a terror group.

They have mounted demonstrations of civil disobedience that have greatly discommoded the general population, and which has been extremely costly for the municipalities in which they have marched on behalf of Sri Lankan Tamils. They have threatened the safety of Tamil Canadians who have no interest in the politics of the Tigers, extracting financial support from fearful, unwilling people.

And they now pose a very real potential to infiltrate Canada, to use it once again as a staging ground for future plans to assault Sri Lankan authority in an ongoing determination to force secession on a foreign government to enable Tamils to finally have a homeland geography of their own. To which, to a degree, there is some sympathy; the goal, not the method.

Above all, Canada does not wish to harbour any more violently disgruntled victims of oppression who, having arrived at a safe haven, use the country as a platform for violence. So, kindly, after all is said and done, make good on your 'vow to abide by the law'. It is the least that should be done to express appreciation for Canada's generosity.

"Tamil people from the Sun Sea ship", thank the Canadian people and the Canadian government by keeping the faith, as we must do when you vow that you are innocent civilians affected by conflict. Do not, under any circumstances, further afflict us with conflict.