Tamil Canadians welcome Canada's decision

For Immediate Release
May 30, 2011

The Sri Lankan government has invited 54 countries to take part in its “Seminar on Defeating Terrorism: The Sri Lankan Experience,” taking place from May 31 to June 2, 2011. The seminar purports to share the knowledge of the Sri Lankan government and military on counter insurgency.

The government of Sri Lanka is looking to push its self-proclaimed counter-insurgency model at a time where a panel appointed by the UN Secretary General found the government of Sri Lanka responsible for causing most of the civilian casualties in the final phases of the war. After an eight month investigation, the UN Panel issued a report finding that there were credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The UN Panel made recommendations to address the duty to hold accountable those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law. The panel concluded that the Sri Lankan government’s notion of accountability is not in accordance with international standards, and recommended that both the government of Sri Lanka and the United Nations immediately undertake various measures to fulfill their duties.

“In the face of the UN panel report, the government of Sri Lanka has once again deflected any form of accountability,” said David Poopalapillai, national spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress. “Instead of moving towards truth and reconciliation, the government of Sri Lanka has decided to whitewash possible war crimes and crimes against humanity by framing and selling it as counter-insurgency.”

“The Canadian Tamil Congress has been informed, and we welcome Canada’s decision to not send any representatives to this seminar. Canada, along with other democratic countries, including the United States, UK, Australia, France and Switzerland, have sent a clear message to the government of Sri Lanka that their actions call for an investigation, not an emulation.”

For further information please contact Canadian Tamil Congress at 416-240-0078