STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK JULY

23 July 2016

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the anniversary of Black July:

“On this 33rd anniversary, we join Canadians of Tamil descent and members of the Tamil community around the world in commemoration of the events of Black July in 1983.

“Let us pause to remember the victims of the anti-Tamil pogroms and all the lives that were lost throughout the entirety of the Sri Lankan Civil War. We offer our deepest condolences to those who lost family and friends.

“The war and the devastation it wrought reminds us to heal the wounds of those who have suffered, and to promote unity over division and inclusion over prejudice.

“Canada will continue to encourage the Sri Lankan government to fulfill its commitment to the United Nations Human Rights Council to bring about real peace, reconciliation, accountability and justice for the people in Sri Lanka.”