March 22, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today welcomed the adoption of a resolution, co-sponsored by Canada, to promote reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka:
“I am very pleased by the response of members of the UN Human Rights Council to the resolution on Sri Lanka.
“Canada has consistently urged the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’s report and to develop a complementary road map to that end.
“This resolution, and the support it garnered, is a clear message to Sri Lankan leaders to work with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to develop its implementation plan.
“Canada remains concerned that the Government of Sri Lanka has not fully addressed the grave accusations of serious human rights violations that occurred toward the end of the conflict. We continue to call for an independent investigation into the credible and serious allegations raised by the UN Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka that international humanitarian law and human rights were violated by both sides in the conflict.”
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