DURHAM -- A group of eight Tamil men are taking their fight for social equality to the streets walking to Ottawa from Toronto to `stop errorism.`
Errorism, as described by walk organizer Mayuran Rhaashivam, is when `a majority community uses stigmatized terms to bully a minority community for its own self interests.`
The walk began on May 22 from Nathan Phillips Square and is due to be completed June 11 on Parliament Hill.
`We want to raise awareness about the Sri Lankan conflict with Tamil Eelam,` says Mr. Rhassshivam. `As people of Tamil descent living in Canada... we feel that there is a need to get our identity out.`
The group feels its members are often misportrayed in the media as being involved in gangs, like the Tamil Tigers. They want to fight these stereotypes in a positive way.
`We are peace-loving human beings like the rest of Canada,` explains Mr. Rhaashivam. `At the end of the day we just want to be living our lives in a peaceful manner.`
The group is hoping that awareness will create dialogue between the Canadian government and Tamil Eelam. They have set up a Facebook group on the Internet and it already has more than 600 members who are contributing comments and words of encouragement to the young men. Some of these members plan to meet up with the group in Ottawa on June 11.
June 11 marks `student uprising day` in Tamil Eelam. This is a day in which citizens of Tamil Eelan pay respect to pupils who sacrificed their lives for the cause of obtaining a free and just Tamil Eelam, a battle which is still ongoing. The group hopes to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to get their issues across.
As of May 25, the men had made it to Newcastle, walking a total distance of 68 kilometres.
Source(s)
http://www.durhamregion.com/dr/regions/durham/story/3975362p-4591940c.html
Pure VPN - Up to 27 Months
Gemini AI PRO 18 months Offer
