Shanghai – Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement today on the appointment of an international human rights panel on Sri Lanka by the United Nations:
“The appointment of this panel by the United Nations is a significant step forward in healing the wounds from last year’s conflict which has deeply affected so many Canadian families.
“The international human rights community, which counts Canada as one of its longstanding members, and many key actors in this area – including former UN High Commissioner Louise Arbour – have expressed serious concerns about the possibility that violations occurred and about the necessary mechanisms of accountability within Sri Lanka that have yet to be established.
“This is why it is particularly dismaying to hear that the government of Sri Lanka has refused to grant visas to the three members of the UN advisory panel and that state-sanctioned protests of the UN’s Sri Lanka offices, led by the government’s housing minister, Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, have occurred.
“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary caucus, I call upon the government of Sri Lanka to honour the wishes of the United Nations and the international human rights community by granting these visas to the members of this panel, so that transparency, truth and perhaps even reconciliation can occur for those touched by this tragedy in Sri Lanka in Canada and around the world.”
Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic Bob Rae added:
“While fully respecting Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, I would hope that the government of Sri Lanka would see that its long-term interests lie not in isolation but in accepting the role of the UN. Canada’s own government can play a useful role by urging greater openness from the government of Sri Lanka.”
