“Don’t let terrorists and their supporters bring shame on our country”

National Day Speech by Bandula Jayasekara, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Toronto at the 61st National Day Celebrations held at the Japanese Cultural Center in Toronto.
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By Bandula Jayasekara

Ayubowan! Vanakkam, Asalam Alaikum, Good Evening

(February 06, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) Venerable Monks, Respected Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious leaders, Friends . I usually speak from the heart. But, today I wrote my speech from the heart because I do not want my heart to fail.

Firstly let me thank all of you for joining us today. Specially the members of the Sri Lankan community who helped us to organise this National Day with their contributions. We couldn’t have organised this without your help.

We decided to celebrate our 61st National Day in very simple manner because we want to reach out to our heroes with all our simplicity and make all our contributions to them towards ‘Api Wenuwen Api’.

Some of us were born under a different rule and others under a free sky. But, those skies soon became bloody and terrorism gripped our land of Serendipity.

Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay, Burgher, We Sri Lankans suffered. Inhuman Terrorists and their supporters who form so called human chains whilst using innocent Sri Lankans as human shields continued to terrorise our people. They not only terrorised them back home but continue to do so, right here in Toronto. We even had an incident last week where a group of mislead terrorists entered the Consulate by force. That is the true face of terrorism which their terror factories manufactured over the years. .

I take this opportunity to thank the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his courage and determination. He and his government had the courage to ban the LTTE and the WTM as terrorist organizations. Let us also thank the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Toronto Police force for their efforts. They are the unsung heroes who take great pains to maintain law and order.

This is the time to reach out and help our Sri Lankan Tamil brothers and sisters who had suffered in the hands of the LTTE even after coming thousands of miles away from home. We can give them a hand; we can show them the light at the end of the tunnel.

Let us all set petty differences aside and unite against terrorism and unite against terrorism as our forces continue to liberate innocent Sri Lankan Tamils in the North. I request all of you to help the Government of Canada and its Security establishment to liberate the innocent Sri Lankan Tamils living in Toronto.

Let us also pay tribute to all those democratic Sri Lankan Tamils who continue to battle against LTTE terror, right here. I know most of you are here with us today. They are with us today. Thank you friends for saying out loud “Terrorism Never. Sri Lanka forever.”

Don’t let terrorists and their sympathizers tarnish the image of Sri Lanka. We love our parents. We love our mothers. Sri Lanka is our motherland. Be it Canada or any country; don’t let anyone tarnish another country.

Stand up to them with honour and courage.

This is the time our temples, kovils, mosques and church and other religious leaders should take the lead. Let us stand united and rally behind them

If you are stuck inside a shell, it is time to get out of your shells. If you are out there doing your part for your country, it is time to do more.

Don’t let terrorists and their supporters bring shame on our country with brutal lies and propaganda.

Write, speak out. Don’t say you are out numbered. Remember the poem from Subashithya “Pinmada Puthun siayak laduwath nisaru”

Take the message to Canada and to Canadians. If they don’t know who is the brutal terrorist leader Prabahakran wanted for killing of thousands of innocent civilians, tell Canada that he is the Bin Laden of Sri Lanka and that he is about to be captured or he is ready to escape as all cowards would do and his supporters here want him saved and the funds to live in the lap of luxury while our Sri Lankan Tamil brothers and sisters suffered under his rule of terror. Our Forces recently captured their torture camps. Democratic Tamil leader Mr Anandasangaree has spoken about the iron curtain of the LTTE. That iron curtain is now coming down.

Truth must be told.

Let us tell Canada that Sri Lankans are happy after 30 years and we are going to celebrate life in full again without pregnant suicide bombers, child soldiers and child killers. Let it be known to Canada that terrorist LTTE killed more Tamils and wiped out the democratic Tamil leadership. Tell Canada that Sri Lanka is the only country that feed a brutal terrorist group that killed and kill its own people using them as human shields and cannon fodder.

Tell Canada that Sri Lanka has brought to democratic mainstream terrorists who killed over 600 policemen. Tell them that those weeping families have forgiven even with tears; Sri Lankans are longing to celebrate life again. .

The teardrop island of ours cannot shed anymore tears.

We feel the winds of change. Don’t let anyone take that away from us. Remember, my friends you in Canada can do a lot for your country of birth. We need you more than ever before. .

We have dedicated this National Day to our Heroes. Our Guardian Angels. We have come together to salute them, to protect them and care for them. Because, they have sacrificed their lives for our tomorrow.

One unassuming gentleman who does not want to be identified inspired us with a personal donation of ten thousand dollars ($ 10,000) to be sent to Api Wenuwen Api fund. He saw the winds of change when he was in Sri Lanka recently. He told me “I was living in Canada all these years. The forces liberated Killinochchi when I was in Sri Lanka on holiday and I became so proud of our forces and our nation and I raised the Sri Lankan flag high at my residence. “

I thank him and his family most sincerely as we dedicate this National Day and the National Days ahead to the true spirit of Independence- for all those heroes out there.

It is our duty to care for them and build a better tomorrow for their children and their families.

Give freely; Give with love, Give with affection, Give with your heart and soul.

Let us honour them today. Right now is right now.-Sri Lanka Guardian