Toronto Tamil Community Presents Letter of Concern

UNCLAS TORONTO 000047 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN AND SCA/INS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CA SUBJECT: Toronto Tamil Community Presents Letter of Concern ¶1. (U) During a March 3 Tamil protest in front of U.S. Consulate General Toronto, a representative of the Tamil community asked to meet the Consul General to present a letter of concern about Tamils in Sri Lanka. Due to the ongoing protest (which remained peaceful), and the fact that some members of the crowd of 600-700 were waving flags of "Tamil Eelam," the CG declined to meet them or accept the letter, but agreed to accept a letter from a Tamil community representative on a different day. ¶2. (U) Two members of the Tamil community presented the letter to the Consul General and a PolOff at the Consulate on March 6. They expressed their group's concerns regarding the conflict in Sri Lanka and what they call a "genocide." The letter, which is addressed to President Obama, requests USG intervention. We took the letter and said we would forward it to Washington, noting that the United States also supports peace in Sri Lanka, but that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),an internationally designated terrorist group, has a long history of terrorism and mistreating civilians, including using them as hostages, and should lay down its arms. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes. ¶3. (U) We are faxing the letter to the SCA/INS for the Sri Lanka desk officer and to WHA/CAN. No reply to the letter was promised or implied. NAY