Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human righ

Ray

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Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human rights record


Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper has threatened to withdraw funding for the Commonwealth in an escalating row over rights abuses by Sri Lanka ahead of a summit next month.


Mr Harper confirmed he was boycotting the November 15-17 summit in Colombo, citing "the absence of accountability for the serious violations of human rights" during and after Sri Lanka's long civil war against Tamil separatists.

"I do this with somewhat of a heavy heart. This is a great disappointment," he told reporters at an Asia-Pacific summit on the Indonesian island of Bali, while stressing that Canadians were "absolutely overwhelming" in their view that he should stay away.

Sri Lanka's government had shown a "considerable worsening" over the past couple of years in terms of democratic governance, post-war reconciliation and respect for human rights, Mr Harper said.

He added that "obviously we will examine our engagement and our financing of the Commonwealth, which is quite considerable, to make sure that we are wisely using taxpayers' dollars and reflecting Canadian values".

After Britain, Canada is the second-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget, providing about $20 million last year.

"It is unfortunate that these remarks have been made," Sri Lankan foreign ministry spokesman Rodney Perera told AFP. "These are matters that should be taken up at the CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) in Colombo"

Mr Perera said Canada had confirmed participation at the Colombo meeting at a lower level, "but that is good enough for us."

In August, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay raised fresh concerns for the safety of journalists and activists she met during a week-long fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka.

She left the island arguing that democracy had been undermined and rule of law eroded in Sri Lanka four years after the end of its bloody ethnic war, which by UN estimates claimed up to 100,000 lives between 1972 and 2009.

The UN has reported "credible allegations" that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the final months of fighting against the Tamil Tigers which ended in May 2009. Sri Lanka has rejected the charges and maintains that its troops did not kill a single civilian.

Mr Harper's remarks further clouded the buildup to the Colombo summit after Gambia announced last week that it was pulling out of the Commonwealth, whose roots lie in the former British Empire, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution".

But Australia's new Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who met Mr Harper in Bali on Monday, said he intended to travel to the summit despite calls for a boycott from human rights groups.

"You do not make new friends by rubbishing your old friends or abandoning your old friends," the pro-monarchist Mr Abbott said, vowing that his government would "take the Commonwealth seriously".

Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human rights record - Telegraph

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Now, is this fair to boycott the Meet, when the Sri Lankan Govt is so benevolent and loving?
 

Mr.Ryu

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Re: Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human

Canadian PM is supporting LTTE by opposing SL govt. :sarcastic:
 

The Messiah

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Re: Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human

They are one of biggest human rights violaters themselves sitting on land belonging to native Indians and still swearing to the queen of england.

When are our punjabis going to make canada an extension of India ? They should increase there efforts and have 10 kids per couple for atleast 10 generations.
 

sob

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Re: Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human

You familiar with Quebec flirting with the same idea- the French speaking Catholic population.
 

HeinzGud

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Re: Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human

While it's understandable that Harper might see a reason not to attend, if only to signal Canada's disgust, he won't be doing Tamils any good. Given that other Commonwealth leaders are going this leaves Canada isolated, not Sri Lanka.
Indeed that is the approach favoured by former Sri Lankan Supreme Court justice C.V. Wigneswaran, who ought to know. His... And he'd like to see Commonwealth leaders show up and be counted.
"I am not for this business of boycotting," he told the Times of India. "We must have the courage of conviction to tell the Sri Lankan government that it has done this, and this," and hold it accountable, he said. "It is better you say it at the CHOGM rather than keep away."
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/10/07/canadas_commonwealth_boycott_wont_help_tamils_editorial.html
 

Ray

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Re: Canadian PM to boycott Commonwealth summit over Sri Lanka's human

One can concede that there have been serious human rights violation by Sri Lanka.

However, if one felt legitimately so strongly, they should have selected a different venue.

Why make the poor meek Sri Lankans cringe with such an insult?

I wonder if any country will speak out in the CHOGM.

It would not be appreciated and would be an insult to the host in any case.
 
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