“Send them back.”

“These boat people are abusing the system, taking us for a ride.”

“So they’ve come from a very bad situation. So what? So do a lot of other people … why should we have to take everyone in?”

Since the MV Sun Sea — the boat carrying 490 Tamil refugees — docked near Victoria on Friday, news websites and call-in radio shows have been inundated with vitriolic comments, media coverage has been sensational and there’s even been a protest against letting the boat into Canadian waters.

Angry people from across the country have accused the asylum-seekers of jumping the immigration queue, being associated with Tamil Tigers — an organization banned by many countries, including Canada — and of being a burden on Canadian taxpayers.

This level of backlash and mass hysteria is unexpected but not unprecedented, say experts.

“It’s is not the first time that the Canadian government has whipped up public anxiety at the arrival of asylum-seekers,” said Myer Siemiatycki, a professor in immigration settlement studies at Ryerson University.

It has happened numerous times but most recently in 1987 when 174 Sikhs landed by boat in Charlesville, N.S., and again in 1999 when some 600 Chinese migrants arrived at the shores of British Columbia.

There was mass hysteria then, just like it is now.

“When the government uses words like smuggling, Tamil Tigers and terrorists, most Canadians assume there is evidence,” said Siemiatycki. “But there isn’t … and making statements like that is irresponsible and does terrible injustice to the people on the boat.”

The Canadian government is partially responsible for stoking this mass hysteria, he added.

What’s playing out “is the sixth or the seventh sequel of some Grade B horror movie called Here Come the Boat People,” said Siemiatycki. “It’s the same thing every time … it’s tiresome, unworthy of Canada.”

Human rights activists also fear that this kind of fear-mongering creates a climate of hate and people become distrustful of all immigrants and refugees.

“Is that what we want?” asked Walid Khugali, who works with the Canadian Arab Federation.

But he doesn’t think this mass anger will make government send refugees away. “That would be shocking and damaging for Canada’s international reputation if we make any changes in law.”

In a country where almost 30,000 people apply for refugee protection every year — roughly a hundred people a day — there’s nothing extraordinary about these 490 Tamil asylum-seekers, said Hadayt Nazami, a lawyer who works with Barbara Jackman and represented several Tamil refugees who came aboard Ocean Lady last fall.

“The amount of prejudice and bigotry is shocking,” said Nazami. “It’s only taken one boat to incite so much hatred.”

But he agrees there are some genuine concerns out there.

The large number of asylum-seekers means it’ll take time to eliminate fears of any association with the Tamil Tigers. “What people don’t understand is that it’s impossible for anyone with a questionable background to get into Canada. If they are not genuine refugees, they will go back. But we have to give them a chance.”

Canadians will be gentler and more inclusive once they hear the stories of these people, predicts Lorne Waldman, a well-known Toronto immigration lawyer.

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“They will then see that these are human beings and have led a terrible existence … I think the reaction will change,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tamil-Canadian advocacy groups say they are trying to clear misconceptions.

“When we heard about the boat, we knew some people would be upset about it,” said Manjula Selvarajah, a spokesperson for Canadian Tamil Congress. “We are now realizing that somehow our community hasn’t shed enough light on what’s happening with Tamils in Sri Lanka, or the contribution that Tamils have made in Canada.”

Tamil migrant died at sea, RCMP confirm

A 37-year-old Tamil man died about three weeks ago while the MV Sun Sea was in international waters

A Tamil migrant aboard the MV Sun Sea died during the long and arduous voyage, a spokesperson of the Canadian Tamil Congress said.

“All that we know is that he was in his 30s and died some time at the end of last month,” said Manjula Selvarajah. “He was buried at sea but we don’t know how he died.”

He was married and has a child but his family was not travelling with him, Selvarajah added.

Later, RCMP said in a news release that “the death happened approximately three weeks ago while the MV Sun Sea was in international waters. The deceased was a 37-year-old male of Sri Lankan descent who died of an illness.”

The Sun Sea docked near Victoria on Friday morning after being at sea for almost four months. It carried nearly 500 people, including women and children, who are expected to make refugee claims.

Meanwhile, immigration hearings for the refugees are expected to start in Vancouver on Monday morning. Initial processing is almost complete.

Some migrants have already been transferred to detention facilities in the Vancouver area while B.C.’s children’s ministry has taken custody of the some 50 children who were on board the Sun Sea.

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