Sri Lankans in Ottawa unite in march for peace

(OTTAWA) A large group of Canadians of Sri Lan -kan origin gathered in front of Canada's Federal Parliament on Tuesday in a silent demonstration of support for an end to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict and the beginning of a permanent peace.

The gathering, which comprised of Buddhist monks, Christian priests and young and old Sri Lankan expatriates from the National Capital Region, stood silently under the glitter of the slow waving flames of their hand held lamps whispering a call for peace and harmony of the country. The crowd, gathered in an orderly fashion with candles in their hands, made a beautiful spectacle with the magnificent parliamentary buildings in the background.

"It was a wonderful display of human compassion towards fellow men overlooking the horrible differences created by short sighted and narrow vision of man." said the Venerable Walasmulle Sirisumana Thera of the Ottawa (temple).

"This is a serene appeal to all to shred their differences and unite as one family for the peace and harmony of life in Sri Lanka . Shred your differences and antagonism, we are all one nation and brothers of one land was the theme," said the Venerable Kekanadure Hemalan- kara Thera.

The evening Aloka Pooja, was organised by the Sri Lankan Brotherhood Against Hatred, a group of mainly young Sri Lankan Canadians committed to supporting a peaceful and terror-free Sri Lanka.

The demonstrators called upon the LTTE to release trapped Tamil civilians in the war ravaged jungles of Sri Lanka, held by them as human shields. They also urged the Tamil Community in Canada to join hands with them in their struggle to free these innocent people, from the clutches of the LTTE, without participating in terror activities of the pro-LTTE organizations. For the first time in the history of Ottawa, a formal ceremony of this nature deserving praise and appreciation was launched by a dedicated group of young men and women with their commitment to fight against hatred.

The Canadian community was extremely pleased with this innovative and peaceful performance, time and effort put in to this significant and peaceful method of expression by this group of people on behalf of their motherland. In contrast to many boisterous, aggressive and combative demonstration and rallies. In a wonderful tone of oratory a number of speakers called upon the people of all ethnic and religious groups to join in this campaign to bring relief to people who are compressed in to misery with the cruelties of terrorists.

The speakers urged the public to participate in a campaign to donate necessities to the people running away from the clutches of the rebels and having lost their loved ones belongings and their hopes in life.