OTA sent the following letter to Tamil Community Center on Feb 11, 2026
Dear Board Members and Decision Makers of the Tamil Community Centre,
We, the Ottawa Tamil Association (OTA), write with deep responsibility to the Tamil Canadian community. As advocates for justice on the Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka and Tamil empowerment in Canada, we have long supported coalitions, transparency, and democratic representation. In this spirit, OTA recently joined the Federation of Global Tamil Organizations (FGTO) and the Tamil Genocide Memorial (TGM), and—along with Ottawa Tamils—pledged $100,000 (announced at our 10th Tamil Heritage Month Gala on January 25, 2026) toward the Tamil Community Centre (TCC) in Toronto. This contribution reflects Ottawa Tamils’ commitment despite prioritizing local projects as a smaller community.
However, we are compelled to raise a serious concern that undermines the TCC’s integrity: the inclusion of the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) as a voting member. We strongly urge the TCC to remove CTC from voting membership immediately. Retaining CTC’s influence risks future misuse of the TCC platform and erodes trust among associated organizations.
Our concerns stem from well-documented patterns of CTC’s behaviour that have alienated much of the Tamil diaspora:
Secret Negotiations and Lack of Transparency: CTC, closely associated with the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), engaged in closed-door discussions with Sri Lankan figures post-2009 GTF formation. From 2015 onward, these closed-door association muting diaspora calls for justice on the Tamil Genocide through opaque dealings. No details or outcomes of these talks have been disclosed.
Erosion of Credibility and Representation: CTC no longer represents Tamil Canadians on Eelam Tamil issues. Of GTF’s original 14 member organizations (formed in Paris, 2009), all 10 European groups departed after 2012, the British Tamil Forum left in 2014, the Australian Tamil Congress exited in 2020, and the United States Tamil Action Group (USTAG) withdrew. GTF’s UK financial reports show no activity since 2011. Despite this, CTC falsely claimed to represent Tamils at the U.S. State Department in 2020.
Obstruction of Genocide Justice Initiatives and Recent Betrayals: In Canada, in the view of many Tamil organizations, CTC provided no support for Tamil Genocide recognition (Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, etc.) and acted as an obstacle, contrasting with other Tamil organizations’ transparent campaigns, conferences, and petitions.
Most alarmingly, after Canada sanctioned Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa in January 2023 for gross human rights violations, CTC members met with Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka (late 2023), prompting widespread outrage and protests in Toronto in 2024, with Tamil Canadians labelling it a “betrayal beyond belief.”
These issues are elaborated in our prior communications:
Letter to the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA), July 12, 2022 (https://
Letter to the Government of Canada, December 10, 2021 (https://
OTA remains fully committed to supporting the TCC and collaborating on democratic, transparent initiatives. We request your prompt action on this urgent matter and ask that you stand firmly in support of the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act while strengthening Tamil Genocide legal preparedness (see https://
For the sake of future Tamil generations, the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act should take greater priority than the Tamil Heritage Month Act, given the stateless nature of Eelam Tamil people, their enduring resilience, and the ethical imperative to center the history of Tamil Eelam.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Ottawa Tamil Association – Association tamoule d’Ottawa On behalf of the Board of Directors
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