Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Boycott looming if Colombo's not on track


CALGARY HERALD

  By Mansoor Ladha, Calgary Herald January 4, 2012


Canada will boycott the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled in Sri Lanka in 2013, if Colombo does not improve its human rights record. Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued this ultimatum during the last CHOGM meeting held last year in Perth, Australia.
Harper has demanded better human rights accountability and a stringent reconciliation program with the island-nation's Tamil population.
"We are looking for a number of things from Sri Lanka. We're looking for action on the events around the conflict in that country. We're looking for action on refugees and displaced persons. And we're looking for action on political reconciliation," Harper said in an interview.