Condemning the Sri Lankan government's refusal to participate in the upcoming investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Canada's Shadow Foreign Minister, and Liberal MP for Westmount-Ville-Marie, Marc Garneau, said that the "Sri Lankan regime’s attempt to silence legitimate criticism" through the proscription of Tamil diaspora groups who were supportive of the international investigation, was "unacceptable", urging the Canadian government to consider "additional measures" if Sri Lanka did not lift the proscription.
"We also condemn attempts by the Sri Lankan government to silence organizations and individuals pressing for such an investigation– including a number of Tamil-Canadian groups based in Canada – by designating them as terrorists and threatening to freeze their assets and financial resources," said Mr. Garneau in a statement issued on Friday.
Stating that the proscription "unfairly targeted many Sri Lankan individuals and organizations who would engage with the OHCHR’s investigation by threatening to charge them with treason", Mr. Garneau said, "this represents a direct attack on human rights advocates, political opponents and the international human rights system as a whole."
"We urge the Government of Canada to consider additional measures if the Sri Lankan regime does not remove sanctions against these peaceful political organizations and individuals based in Canada who are advocating for the respect of human rights in Sri Lanka," he said.
"We also condemn attempts by the Sri Lankan government to silence organizations and individuals pressing for such an investigation– including a number of Tamil-Canadian groups based in Canada – by designating them as terrorists and threatening to freeze their assets and financial resources," said Mr. Garneau in a statement issued on Friday.
Stating that the proscription "unfairly targeted many Sri Lankan individuals and organizations who would engage with the OHCHR’s investigation by threatening to charge them with treason", Mr. Garneau said, "this represents a direct attack on human rights advocates, political opponents and the international human rights system as a whole."
"We urge the Government of Canada to consider additional measures if the Sri Lankan regime does not remove sanctions against these peaceful political organizations and individuals based in Canada who are advocating for the respect of human rights in Sri Lanka," he said.