Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TORONTO84
2009-04-23 20:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Toronto
Cable title:
Toronto Tamil Demo: WTM-organized?
VZCZCXRO7699 PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC DE RUEHON #0084 1132045 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 232045Z APR 09 FM AMCONSUL TORONTO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2794 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0017 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0029 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0038 RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS TORONTO 000084
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
DHS PASS TO CBP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CA
SUBJECT: Toronto Tamil Demo: WTM-organized?
REF: (A) 08 Toronto 169 (B) Toronto 52
UNCLAS TORONTO 000084
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
DHS PASS TO CBP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CA
SUBJECT: Toronto Tamil Demo: WTM-organized?
REF: (A) 08 Toronto 169 (B) Toronto 52
1. On April 23, 50-75 demonstrators gathered outside of the U.S.
Consulate to call on the U.S. government to intervene on behalf of
Tamils in Sri Lanka. Although it was a small gathering, it was the
fifth held in front of the Consulate since January.
2. Just as the demonstration began, Sri Lanka's Consul General in
Toronto, who we know well, phoned to inform PolOff that the event
had been organized by the World Tamil Movement (WTM),which was
banned by the Canadian government as a terrorist organization in
2006. While we cannot confirm that the protestors were organized by
the WTM, this is at least the third demonstration in which the red
tiger flag - associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) - has been flown by demonstrators outside the Consulate,
along with Canadian and American flags. The red Tiger flag also has
been prominent in many of the other dozens of protests around the
Toronto area, including recent protests that continued for several
days at Queen's Park.
NAY
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
DHS PASS TO CBP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CA
SUBJECT: Toronto Tamil Demo: WTM-organized?
REF: (A) 08 Toronto 169 (B) Toronto 52
1. On April 23, 50-75 demonstrators gathered outside of the U.S.
Consulate to call on the U.S. government to intervene on behalf of
Tamils in Sri Lanka. Although it was a small gathering, it was the
fifth held in front of the Consulate since January.
2. Just as the demonstration began, Sri Lanka's Consul General in
Toronto, who we know well, phoned to inform PolOff that the event
had been organized by the World Tamil Movement (WTM),which was
banned by the Canadian government as a terrorist organization in
2006. While we cannot confirm that the protestors were organized by
the WTM, this is at least the third demonstration in which the red
tiger flag - associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) - has been flown by demonstrators outside the Consulate,
along with Canadian and American flags. The red Tiger flag also has
been prominent in many of the other dozens of protests around the
Toronto area, including recent protests that continued for several
days at Queen's Park.
NAY