Protesters Disrupt Tamil Genocide Monument Ceremony in Brampton

Brampton, August 15, 2024 — The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) expresses deep concern over the  disruption of the Tamil Genocide Monument foundation stone-laying ceremony in Brampton by a group of  protesters holding the Sri Lankan flag. 

We are alarmed by the aggressive tone and intimidating nature of this protest. It is disappointing that these  protesters fail to recognize that acknowledging the Tamil Genocide is a crucial step toward healing and  reconciliation. 

It is essential to remember that many Tamils who fled Sri Lanka and now call Canada home did so to escape  the very intimidation, threats, and suppression of free expression that were on display during this protest. 

The proposal for constructing a memorial in Brampton was both supported and endorsed by Brampton City  Council and Mayor Patrick Brown. This initiative was a direct response to the destruction of a similar  memorial dedicated to Tamil Genocide victims at the University of Jaffna. 

Sri Lanka must stop denying the reality of the Tamil Genocide. The rights of Tamils to commemorate the  lives of their lost loved ones must be respected, both in Sri Lanka and abroad. 

Furthermore, Sri Lanka has no right to interfere with the rights of Canadians to build a memorial that honors  and remembers the victims of the Tamil Genocide. 

Acknowledging the past as genocide is a necessary step toward moving forward. The CTC has consistently  supported the establishment of a Tamil Genocide memorial in Brampton. The Tamil community’s right to  mourn and memorialize the dead cannot and will not be denied.

Protesters Disrupt Tamil Genocide Monument Ceremony in Brampton