Activists show support for detained Tamils

METRO VANCOUVER — A small group of immigrant and refugee activists in Vancouver stood outside a Burnaby detention centre Saturday to show their support for the Tamil women and children being detained by the Canadian government.

Forty-four children and 25 women have been held at the Burnaby Youth Custody Services Centre since August after three months at sea living aboard a cargo ship in decrepit conditions to flee Sri Lanka.

“The fact that they’re being held in a prison under prison conditions is really unacceptable,” activist Harsha Walia said.

About 60 people turned up at the gates of the centre and played loud South Asian music while blowing whistles, banging pots and pans, and beating drums to gain the attention of the migrants held captive inside.

Among the group was Wayne Elliott who brought his two young sons to the demonstration.

“I think it’s important that these people are represented while they’re being detained here and to let let them know that the first people they encountered in Canada - who haven’t been as welcoming - is not a fair representation of Canadians,” said the Vancouver resident and British citizen.

“I obviously don’t experience this kind of welcome. It’s completely different,” he said.

Walia’s group, No One Is Illegal, organized the event and say there are several myths surrounding the case of the 452 total Tamil asylum seekers from the MV Sun Sea ship.

“The root of it all is that there is a lot of mistrust and suspicion among the public of the refugees,” she said.

The group says the government has perpetuated fear-mongering among the public based on unsubstantiated claims there are terrorists within the Tamil group.

Walia said the government made similar claims about a group of 76 Tamil asylum seekers last year. All 76 were eventually released by Immigration and Refugee Board adjudicators after no evidence of terrorism links surfaced after several months.

The Vancouver Sun