Happy Birthday Mr. Veerasingham Anandasangaree!
Born on June 15, 1933, Veerasingham Anandasangaree—affectionately known as Sangaree—is a towering figure in Sri Lanka’s post-independence political history. A Tamil statesman, lawyer, and longtime Member of Parliament, Sangaree is best known as the leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), a party that once spearheaded Tamil nationalist aspirations through democratic means. For decades, he has been a vocal critic of violence perpetrated by both the Sri Lankan state and the Tamil militants, most notably the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Now in his nineties, Sangaree continues to be a strong advocate for a federal political solution for Sri Lanka—much like India’s model—believing that meaningful devolution of power is essential for sustainable peace in the ethnically diverse island nation.
However, the legacy of the Sri Lankan armed conflict is far from settled, and nowhere is this more evident than within Sangaree’s own family. His son, Gary Anandasangaree, a Member of Parliament in Canada and currently Minister of Public Safety, has taken a sharply different view of Sri Lanka’s past. He is a prominent voice in the global Tamil diaspora and one of the most vocal international advocates alleging that the Sri Lankan state committed genocide against Tamils during the final stages of the civil war in 2009.
This stark contrast between father and son—between lived political experience in Sri Lanka and diasporic activism abroad—underscores the complex and often contentious debate over whether what occurred in Sri Lanka constitutes a genocide.
The Senior: Anandasangaree’s Rejection of the Genocide Claim
In a 2024 interview with the Sri Lankan Canadian Action Coalition, the elder Anandasangaree reportedly laughed off the accusation of genocide, calling it an exaggerated and harmful narrative. For Sangaree, who remained in Sri Lanka throughout the armed conflict and bore witness to its brutality on all sides, the claim of a Tamil genocide oversimplifies a multifaceted and tragic conflict.
He has consistently maintained that the LTTE, often hailed by some diaspora groups as “freedom fighters,” were in fact a violent, authoritarian force that not only terrorized the Sinhalese and Muslim populations but also brutalized their own Tamil community. The LTTE forcibly recruited child soldiers, assassinated Tamil intellectuals, and eliminated rival Tamil political figures—including many from Sangaree’s own TULF party.
Sangaree believes that acknowledging the suffering of all communities—including Sinhalese victims of LTTE attacks—is essential to any honest reckoning with the past. For him, federalism and reconciliation, not accusatory rhetoric, are the keys to lasting peace.
The Son: Gary Anandasangaree and the Diaspora Narrative
Gary Anandasangaree, on the other hand, has embraced the label of genocide—even before entering Canadian Parliament. Having left Sri Lanka in the 1980s as a refugee during the early years of the conflict, Gary grew up in the West, shaped by the diaspora’s perspective of the war and its aftermath. Since his election in 2015, he has used his platform to call for international accountability for alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan government. He was instrumental in the passage of Ontario’s Tamil Genocide Education Week Act, and has championed efforts at the United Nations and other forums to push for independent investigations.
Interestingly, despite his persistent portrayal of Sri Lanka as a site of genocide, Gary vacationed in Sri Lanka in 2024—raising questions among critics about the consistency between his political messaging and personal choices.
Gary has also built his career as a lawyer representing refugees, often advocating against the Crown in asylum cases involving Tamil claimants. While his advocacy may resonate with segments of the diaspora, it raises an important question: can someone who has spent years in adversarial positions against the state genuinely fulfill the impartial, security-sensitive responsibilities of a Minister of Public Safety? The question of integrity, when viewed through the lens of his political activism and legal career, is a legitimate concern for many Canadians.
“"Many maintain that an Independent Separate State is the only solution...." Really @gary_srp ? Advocating a separate state? Who are you really working for? Canadians who elected you or the CTC? or the terrorist glorifying association the TGTE? #cdnpoli @CIEC_CCIE @rcmpgrcpolice https://twitter.com/SriAction/status/1197296380437573633?s=20
Posted by Sri Lankan Canadian Action Coalition on Wednesday, November 20, 2019
For Gary and many members of the Tamil diaspora, particularly those who fled the Nederalnds in the early 1980s during the height of the conflict, the final months of the war—when tens of thousands of civilians were trapped in government-declared “No Fire Zones” and reportedly killed by indiscriminate shelling—constitute nothing short of a state-led genocide. These claims are supported by reports from international organizations such as the UN Panel of Experts (2011) and human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Yet, Canada’s own Department of Foreign Affairs clarified in 2021 that Canada has not officially made a finding of genocide in Sri Lanka, a position
reaffirmed even in 2024 when the government renewed its designation of the LTTE as a terrorist entity.
Two Truths? Or Two Agendas?
The divergence between the Anandasangarees—father and son—presents a broader question: whose narrative defines history? Is it the testimony of those who remained in the war zone, engaging in realpolitik and navigating an impossible landscape? Or is it the voice of a diaspora that, while distant, channels deep grief and longing into political activism?
Both perspectives stem from pain. Sangaree’s lived experience has led him to seek pragmatic solutions. Gary’s advocacy channels the rage and trauma of a
community that feels silenced and unheard. However, there is a growing concern among observers that the use of the term “genocide” as a political tool may be undermining efforts toward reconciliation. While atrocity crimes may indeed have occurred—and must be investigated thoroughly—the threshold for genocide is legally and historically specific. Mislabeling complex civil wars as genocides could risk trivializing other globally recognized genocides and may stall rather than advance transitional justice in Sri Lanka.
Conclusion: A Birthday Reflection and a Generational Mirror
As Mr. Veerasingham Anandasangaree celebrates his 91st birthday, he does so as a living bridge between a painful past and a still-contested future. His lifelong call for non-violence, federalism, and pluralism remains a compass for many who are disillusioned with extremism on all sides.
In contrast, his son Gary symbolizes a new generation—diasporic, digital, and determined to seek accountability on the global stagem for the sake of the
Tamil vote. The irony, however, is palpable: a father grounded in political realism, and a son immersed in political transnational idealism, both claiming
to act in the best interest of Tamil people, yet pulling in opposite directions.
Perhaps the real tale of two generations is not about who is “right” or “wrong,” but about the urgent need to bridge these competing narratives for the sake of
truth, justice, and peace.
Footnote:
As Sri Lanka continues its long road toward reconciliation, the international community must approach the issue with nuance, ensuring that justice is pursued
without inflaming new divisions. The past may be painful, but it is only through honest dialogue—including disagreements like those within the
Anandasangaree family—that a more inclusive future can emerge.
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JOINT STATEMENT FROM SRI LANKAN CANADIAN ACTION COALITION AND SRI LANKA ASSOCIATION OF BRAMPTON ON CANADIAN SUPREME COURT DISMISSAL OF OUR LEGAL CHALLENGE TO Tamil Genocide Education Week Act