The war is over but the acts of hatred continue

Much to the dismay of my Pro-LTTE brethren who hail from Sri Lanka the civil war is over. There are no LTTE Terrorist controlled areas in Sri Lanka and there certainly is no de facto terrorist run governing authority in the East and the North of the country anymore.

The Sri Lankan government forces won, took back control of Sri Lanka and expunged the country of what LTTE scum they could find. Lets face it the civil unrest in Sri Lanka is at another stage. The main guns behind the war are now contesting Presidential Elections even: Mahinda is saying he wants to stay on and 'develop' the country and Sarath says he's contesting because wants to abolish the executive presidency and public corruption. But I digress, that is another can of worms altogether, lets get back to Toronto:

There was an uneasy tension in the air between the pro-LTTE elements in Toronto and the Sinhalese minority after the country was unified but I thought it was getting better? I thought Pro-LTTE elements were adapting to the new situation and were looking to democratically bring about a solution to the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka?

Things in my world certainly were slowly coming back around. The round-the-clock mid-night patrols by citizen vigilantes at the various Buddhist temples ended; and I quietly started making my way back into the various Tamil bakeries and kottu shops, for social unrest or not you can't really grudge a Sri Lankan access to a decent kottu and lampris feed now can you?

But exactly does this recent act of hatred mean? Is this a response to Sarath announcing his intention to contest the upcoming Presidential elections? Does this mean more acts of random terror will follow? Are more Sinhalese Buddhist temples to be attacked cowardly overnight? Are more Sinhalese restaurant owners to be intimidated? And to what end?

The LTTE Terrorist Organization victimized Sinhalese and Tamils back in Sri Lankan through acts of random terror and it looks like their goons are doing the same here in Canada.

Arson at the Scarborough temple in Toronto

Arsonists set fire to the temple in Scarborough, Ontario this morning amidst news that the war in Sri Lanka was coming to an end. Its not really known whether the arsonists had prior knowledge of the latest developments in the Sri Lankan conflict, but despite the situation in Sri Lanka; regardless of whether the LTTE Terrorist leaders were encircled by the Sri Lankan army and were contemplating suicide or otherwise, setting fire to a temple building was low.

Its my understanding that the act was an act of frustration at the situation in Sri Lanka and a punitive effort at revenge against the Sinhalese community here in Toronto by pro-LTTE elements. I understand that pro-LTTE protesters in Toronto are skeptical of the news that the war in Sri Lanka is coming to an end; but they must really be frustrated if vandalizing a place of worship is to be their response to those events.

It serves no purpose, really and only deepens the divide amongst Sinhalese Canadians and Tamil Canadians here in Toronto. I'm glad the Sinhalese community is acting with restraint and lets hope that its only the extremist elements of the pro-LTTE supporters that endorse such acts. The majority of them will I hope, be more democratic as they interact with their fellow Sri Lankans here in Canada.