Over Seas

Harper must ensure a genuine & complete boycott of the Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka: NDP

October 10, 2013 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

Ottawa, Canada (October 09, 2013): According to a press release sent to the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) by Amneet Singh, Press Secretary of the National Democratic Party (NDP: “Official Opposition Foreign Affairs critic Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre) and Deputy Chair of the National Caucus Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough-Rouge River) are calling on the Conservative government to send a clear message with a full boycott of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo in November”.

“The NDP has been urging the Conservative government to boycott the CHOGM for months,” said Paul Dewar. “But sending a Parliamentary Secretary on behalf of the Prime Minister weakens this message”, he added.

The NDP has been consistent and clear regarding its position on human rights in Sri Lanka by calling for a full and complete boycott and continues to stand by this position.

“If the Conservatives are serious about sending a strong message in support of democracy, it would be an appropriate next step to discuss with Commonwealth partners the removal of Sri Lanka from the organization until there are concrete improvements on human rights,” said Dewar.

“The Conservative government’s treatment of Tamil refugees and its inconsistent approach to supporting a genuine and full boycott threaten the integrity of Canada’s position as a defender of human rights. New Democrats believe that Canadians deserve better,” added Sitsabaiesan.

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Related Topics: NDP, Stephen Harper, Tamils in Srilanka

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