The Canadian official opposition, the Conservative Party calls on the Canada Trudeau government to impose Magnitsky Sanctions on those responsible for gross human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Under the Magnitsky Sanctions, all violators of internationally recognized human rights should be treated and sanctioned.
Michael Chong, Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Garnett Genuis, Shadow Minister for International Development and Human Rights on a joint release further said, even though a step forward, many of High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet’s recommendations were not included in the recently adopted UNHCR resolution.
As a path forward, the Conservatives continue to ask for an independent international investigation into allegations of genocide. They also said, the recent ban imposed by the Sri Lankan government on peaceful Tamil-Canadian organisations, is not an appropriate response to legitimate criticism.
The full statement as follows,
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮
March 29, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
𝑶𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒘𝒂 𝑶𝑵 – Today the Hon. Michael Chong, Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Garnett Genuis, Shadow Minister for International Development and Human Rights issued the following statement about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka:
“Conservatives continue to be gravelly concerned about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, including the erosion and political obstruction of the independence of the judiciary and key institutions responsible for human rights violations, increased marginalization of persons belonging to the Tamil and Muslim communities and the restrictions on public commemoration of those killed in the war, including the destruction of a memorial.”
“Shortly before the last election, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the House of Commons unanimously passed motions calling on the “United Nations to establish an international, independent investigation into allegations of genocide against Tamils committed in Sri Lanka, including the last phase of the armed conflict in 2009.”
Although a step forward, the resolution adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council last week, does not meet that call to action. Additionally many of High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet’s recommendations were not included in the UNHCR resolution. She noted that, “given the demonstrated inability and unwillingness of Government [of Sri Lanka] to advance accountability at the national level, it is time for international action to ensure justice for international crimes.” In support of High Commissioner Bachelet’s recommendation, Conservatives call on the Trudeau government to impose Magnitsky Sanctions on those responsible for gross human rights violations.
Conservatives are also concerned by the ban imposed by the Sri Lankan government on peaceful Tamil-Canadian organisations for their work in advancing human rights in Sri Lanka. We call on the Trudeau government to acknowledge this ban is not an appropriate response to legitimate criticism.
“Canada’s Conservatives continue to ask for an independent international investigation into allegations of genocide. To date, there is no indication the Trudeau government has advocated for that investigation.”
