As 2006 fades away forever, New Year ‘resolutions’ are abound looking forward to a better year ahead and wishing that many good things become reality in 2007. Pursuing the year afresh in prudent ways that will bring about positive changes for all is foremost in the minds of everyone.
The New Year also ushers us to the “Pongal” day in the following weeks, the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving. It is held to honor the Sun, for a bountiful harvest. Thai (January in Tamil calendar), the post-harvest month is also an important marriage season. The saying “Thai piranthal vazhi pirakkum” (with the coming of the thai – January- month a way will be open) says how the month of January illuminates the spirits.
This overflow of traditions inspires the promises of the December-January festive season and we work in earnest to ensure that the times ahead are better.
The Monsoon Journal is joining millions of humanity in adding one more celebration at the dawn of the New Year.
January 15th, the birth anniversary of Civil Rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
King was born on 15 January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was a Baptist minister, his mother a school teacher.
Always interested in civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was heavily influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s policy of non violence. Many historians say that the ideals of Dr. King’s activism and organisation came from Christianity, but the method of non violence from Gandhi. In 1957 King was active in the organisation of the Southern Leadership Christian Conference (SCLC), formed to co-ordinate protests against discrimination. He advocated non-violent direct action based on the methods of Gandhi, who led protests against British rule in India culminating in India’s independence in 1947.
One way of paying tribute to him is to savor and live by the words of Dr. King.
His “I have a dream” speech is the best known.
He raised the consciousness of humanity to love and serve the fellow human beings. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?,’” is his wisdom that we could take upon in the new year. A commitment to the betterment of the lives of everyone. At home – national or global in scope, Dr. Kings’s words and methods – “Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it”, will stand firm and prove right in the test of time and territory. [monsoonjournal.com]
Stephane Dion, the new Liberal Leader is here
[www.monsoonjournal.com] Congratulations Hon. Stephane Dion, on being elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party.
The talk of the town in our communities when December rolled in was the Liberal leadership race in Montreal. At the helm now is Stephane Dion as the new federal Liberal leader.
Many in our communities actively participated in the process. And are now eagerly awaiting to see the newly elected leader contributing decisively to the pressing issues on the radar.
Many Tamils in our communities sincerely hope that the new leader, praised by many analysts as “a mild and humble intellectual” will make pointed contributions as Liberal Leader, Leader of the Opposition and as well as if and when elected as Prime Minister, to the betterment of the lives of their brethren in Sri Lanka.
Two years ago just about this time of the year, Canadians contributed generously in the aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami. Prime Minster Paul Martin visited Eastern Sri Lanka and several Liberal MPs have visited Northern parts as well.
Today in Sri Lanka, the political and civic climate has deteriorated completely to the devastation of particularly the Tamils of North East. Kidnappings are rampant with the latest high profile disappearance being that of Vice Chancellor Professor S. Raveendranath of the Eastern University.
Decisive actions by Canada in the international arena will compel the Government of Sri lanka to respect human rights. Already the much praiseworthy mission of ex-Liberal minister Allan Rock is being heavily criticized by Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, clarion voice of Canada on the international stage has shed light on the plight of children at the hands of Government of Sri Lanka armed forces.
The new leader is being elected at a time when Tamil Canadians are increasingly concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka and wanting Canada, their new home now - to do more for their families left behind. Mr. Dion is in a position to start new, with matters concerning Sri Lanka and Tamil Canadians.
The new Liberal leader has said he doesn’t want an early election but also added recently that he has no intentions to be caught off guard and is preparing for one just in case.
Dion came from third place at the leadership convention in Montreal to dramatically reach the crown to be at the helm of the Liberal Party. Dion did it despite being dismissed early on by the national media — and most Liberals — as a smart but boring policy wonk with no charisma, who was unsaleable in a big part of Canada.
In Dion, Canadians now have an Opposition leader and potential Prime Minister.
Just like the “surprise” come from behind victory the new leader and the Liberal Party are back in full swing to fully debate, engage and contribute profoundly to the pressing issues.
The Monsoon Journal trusts that these pressing issues will include matters involving the situation in Sri Lanka as well.
The new Liberal leader should keep foremost in mind, particularly the Tamil Canadian voters’ anticipation of a more quickly responsive international community with regards to the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. And many believe that Canada could play that all important lead role in the West in bringing a negotiated settlement in the island.
[monsoonjournal.com]”Canada is a global leader in working for human rights and peace in the world” is what 57% of the worldwide respondents felt according to recent survey by Angus Reid Strategies for The Maclean’s Magazine. The survey of 20 countries and their views on Canada and the world reveals what the world loves about Canada; besides being a global leader, quality of life (31 percent), geography/environment (30 per cent) and social services/good system of government (10 per cent) are also among highly regarded aspects about Canada by respondents from around the world.
However, it’s pointed out from members of our communities within Canada, that the country could do more with regards to the situation in Sri Lanka from its position as a global leader. A hopeful beacon for them should be seeing many prominent Canadians increasingly voicing their concern on the prevailing conditions in Sri Lanka in the past few days.
Its’ the people who make up a “Nation” and Canadians of many strides form the crucial role in working towards the goal of putting Canada in a global leadership role on Human Rights.
Ensuring Canada’s position as global leader on Human Rights rests with every Canadian serving the humanity.
The Monsoon Journal salutes all Canadians on the forefront of this mission.
Highly respected humanitarian missions of Canadians around the globe, impacts how Canadian political leadership conducts the nation’s foreign policy in the long run.
The headline news of the past few days is former Canadian UN Ambassador and Federal Justice Minister Hon. Allan Rock, as UN Advisor putting the Government of Sri Lanka on the dock for the first time in the international public eye for violating the rights of children. Rock’s revelations are catching the attention of opinion makers in Canada and around the globe.
Allan Rock was appointed recently as special adviser on Sri Lanka to Radhika Coomaraswamy, the special representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the role of children in armed conflict. Rock undertook a 10 day field trip to Sri Lanka from November 6 to 14.
“It is a feeling of fear and insecurity…. of grave concern,” Rock said, adding, “institutions of society to protect (civilians) have deteriorated or diminished”, said Allan Rock, of the plight of people in Vaaharai in Eastern Sri Lanka. In a press briefing in Colombo after concluding his 10 day fact finding trip, Mr. Rock urged the “eyes of the world” to see what is happening and improve the human rights conditions of the people in Eastern Sri Lanka.
Many other prominent Canadians too are on the path of influencing Canadian and world opinion - in shedding light on the plight of the people in the island, particularly of Tamils in North & East.
Canadian Parliamentarians, Albina Guarnieri, P.C., M.P., Member of Parliament, Mississauga East Cooksville, Dan McTeague, P.C., M.P. for Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge, and Omar Alghabra, Liberal Party Member of Parliament for Mississauga— Erindale recently wrote letters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and issued press releases condemning the killings in Sri Lanka.
Carleen McGuinty daughter of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is serving the humanity at grassroots level, and witnessing the events in Sri Lanka.
Liberal leadership contender Bob Rae visited Sri Lanka to advise on Federalism. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin and several other Federal MPs and politicians too are among those who traveled to Sri Lanka on humanitarian missions in the recent past.
There are many more Canadians as staffers and volunteers in Non Governmental Organizations in Sri Lanka and around the world serving the humanity for the betterment of the lives of those people.
The findings of Allan Rock and his press briefing in Colombo accusing the Government of Sri Lanka in the involvement of recruitment of child soldiers is a pinnacle showing how missions of dedicated Canadians can make a difference in the world; a key factor in the deteriorating Sri Lankan situation was subdued by various propaganda mechanisms for the past few years by the Government of Sri Lanka. This was over come by Mr. Allan Rock, Special Adviser to the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict on Sri Lanka. The UN envoy’s findings are now being attacked as part of a “wider conspiracy against Sri Lanka”, by sections of the Sri Lankan government and their extremist sympathizers.
Making a difference for a change, leading a change for the betterment in the lives of the masses in desperate need of assistance is what Canada is acclaimed for around the world, according to the recent Angus Reid Strategies poll.
Missions by UN Advisor Allan Rock are a testament to what is being and can be achieved by Canadians as individuals as well as in their respective official capacities – also making Canada a global leader along the way, and making all Canadians proud of Canada.