Angry in the Great White North

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka.  They've never won that fight.  They are now fighting to stay alive.  They seem about ready to lose that fight as well:

Sri Lanka gave the Tamil Tiger rebels 24 hours to surrender or face a final military assault, after the military rescued 35,000 civilians from the last swath of rebel territory, officials said.

The government issued the ultimatum, giving the Tamil Tiger rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and his fighters 24 hours starting Monday at noon to surrender before the military launches a final assault aimed at crushing the insurgents and ending the island nation's 25-year civil war.

Defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters that the rebel chief had until noon on Tuesday to make up his mind.

The United Nations has voiced concern for the safety of an estimated 100,000 civilians who have been trapped with rebels in the "no-fire" zone measuring only 7.7 square miles (20 square kilometers).

In recent months the military has ousted the Tamil rebels from all their strongholds in an all-out offensive, forcing the rebels to retreat to the "no-fire" zone for a final stand.

The Tamil Tigers still have one weapon left, and that is the ability to have supporters rally in foreign capitals.  Such a Tamil rally is happening today in Ottawa:

Pro-Tamil demonstrators are vowing to fill Parliament Hill with thousands of reinforcements if the Canadian government continues to ignore their demands.

Protest spokesman Sarva Jeyapalan said as many as 25,000 protesters could be bused in from Toronto and Montreal on Tuesday if the federal government refuses to alter its position on the situation in Sri Lanka.

Jeyapalan said protesters are calling on the government to toughen its stance on Sri Lanka by recalling the Canadian High Commissioner and imposing economic sanctions.

These rallies are notable for their massive Tiger presence.  Chants in support of the Tamil Tigers.  A sea of placards declaring loyalty to Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. The Tamil Tiger flag (or the flag of the Tamil homeland, which was designed by the Tamil Tigers, and is the Tamil Tiger flag on a red instead of yellow background).

The problem for these demonstrators and their Tamil Tiger handlers is that there is absolutely no reason for the Canadian government to do anything.  What I mean is that nothing can change the facts on the ground.  In the time it would take to schedule a debate or recall the ambassador or even compose a news release, the fighting will be over.  Indeed, the Canadian government would be foolish to get involved now and stupid to throw in with the loosing side -- especially since the Canadian government has declared the Tamil Tigers to be a terrorist group.  So first that would have to be undone...

So no, nothing is going to happen.

So why have the rallies?  I wish I knew what the Tigers really expected to get out of this.  It really doesn't make much sense.  And that makes me nervous, because the Tamil Tigers are known to be sore losers of the worst kind:

As the crowds tried to flee, in what the Defense Ministry called "the world's largest hostage rescue mission," three Tamil Tiger suicide bombers detonated explosive vests, killing dozens of civilians.

So I'm worried about whether these rallies in Canada are going to be the last stand of the Tamil Tigers.