Ganeshan regrets Canada's opinion on Bahu

MP Mano Ganeshan says all peace loving people are shocked to learn Canadian High Commission's refusal of visa to New Left Front Leader Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, saying his actions constitute LTTE membership.

"Fanatic forces in this country use Tiger label arbitrarily. This label is put on many human rights defenders, NGOs, antiwar activists, media personnel. Even members of the international community have not been spared of Tiger label. Canadian action goes well in line with the fundamentalist forces here," said the Civil Monitoring Committee Convener and Western People's Front Leader in a statement.

The statement also said, "Vickramabahu is a committed human rights activist. He fought against the human rights abuses then in 1989 when thousands of Sinhala young men and women belonging to JVP faced state and paramilitary death squads. He is fighting now against abductions and extra legal killings when Tamils face death squads."

"Many of his comrades of 1989 have changed sides now and some have even become the very perpetrators. Bahu has not changed. He is one of the very few Sinhala politicians who adamantly propose justice and peace for the oppressed Tamil and Muslim communities. His party’s stand on the national question is ahead of many ethnic parties. He stands for the right of self-determination. It cannot be Bahu’s fault if LTTE or any Lankan Diaspora campaigners around the world demand the same set of rights. Nobody labeled him with JVP when Bahu fought on behalf the human rights of JVP youth in 1989. But when he supports human rights and political aspirations of Tamils, he is branded a Tiger."

"Bahu was to attend a conference in Toronto titled ‘Ending the war and bringing justice and peace to Sri Lanka 25 years after July 1983’ organized by Toronto based Canadian Forum for Justice and Peace in Sri Lanka. It is sad that Canada is sending wrong signals to all Sri Lankans at a time when Tamils feel that our international friends have failed to stop the human rights violations and influence the government towards a reasonable political solution."