Karygiannis calls on Conservative Government to support revocation of Sri Lanka’s membership in Commonwealth

Thursday 29th September 2011.

 

Karygiannis calls on Conservative Government to support revocation of Sri Lanka’s membership in Commonwealth

OTTAWA - The Honourable Jim Karygiannis, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Multiculturalism Critic, called on Canada’s Conservative Government to condemn the Sri Lankan government’s cover-up of war crimes by taking a leading role to ensure that Sri Lanka’s membership in the Commonwealth is revoked until it holds the perpetrators to account.

“In February 2009, the Sri Lankan government offered an amnesty, as the first step toward an inclusive political dialogue that would have contributed to a lasting peace.  It then proceeded to brutally murder thousands of innocent refugees.” said Mr. Karygiannis.  “It is time that the Sri Lankan government acknowledges that atrocities were committed in its name and brings the perpetrator to justice.”

Independent, international aid and humanitarian agencies have reported widespread abuses of human rights and summary killings during the last days of the Sri Lankan civil war.  Since no independent journalists were permitted in the war zone, the only record of the crimes, such as the Channel 4 documentary

“Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields”, was smuggled out by the survivors.

“The evidence is irrefutable.  There are scenes of Sri Lankan soldiers shooting bound and blindfolded people in the head.” Mr. Karygiannis stated.  “The Sri Lankan government must ensure that these thugs are brought to justice and pay for their crimes.”