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Canadian youth pay respects to Pon Sivakumaran at a seminar in Toronto (Pictures courtesy of TYO - Canada) |
On Saturday, June 9th, 2012 the Tamil Youth Organization-Canada hosted the “Tamil Students' Uprising Day Conference” in memory of Pon. Sivakumaran. The conference aimed to educate the attendees of the selfless sacrifice of the first student martyr in the struggle to liberate Tamil Eelam.
Sivakumaran’s sacrifice paved the way for the armed resistance of the liberation movement to take centre stage. The conference was well organised with presentations that clearly depicted the dreams and aspirations of Sivakumaran.
After a moment of silence and paying of respects by laying flowers, members of TYO-Canada started off with an introductory presentation that covered the life and sacrifice of Sivakumaran. This presentation outlined the work that he had contributed to the plight of the Tamil people.
His passion for education was highlighted in the presentation, as the audience was told about the marginalisation of the Tamil people through the Standardisation Act. His actions in relation to his strong refusal and disagreement of the Act were also discussed. Consuming cyanide to end his life, in anticipation of the torture that would follow his arrest by the police, he was symbolic of an individual that fought till the bitter end to liberate his country.
Neethan Shan, the President of the Ontario New Democratic Party, was the guest speaker at the event.
Addressing the audience, Neethan Shan said,
“Tamil youth have always been at the forefront in the struggle for peace and justice in our homeland. As Tamil youth we should continue to engage and educate our fellow youth about the righteous cause of our struggle,”
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President of Ontario NDP, Neethan Shan, addresses the seminar |
Naaventhan Thamiyrajh, a member of TYO-Canada, said,
“Pon. Sivakumaran Anna will always be an inspiration to Tamil youth. His courage and determination will never be forgotten. As youth it is our duty to follow his footsteps and never stray away from our identity. We should all remember that the ultimate way to remember Sivakumaran Anna and the thousands of Maaveerar is to help in establishing a sovereign state of Tamil Eelam."
The York University Tamil Students Association and the University of Toronto – Scarborough Campus Tamil Students Association (UTSC TSA), also presented and led workshops at the event.
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Youths pay their respects |