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Canada rejects Lanka's envoy
Former defence secretary caught under its Immigration Act, says Ottawa
By Our Diplomatic Editor
Canada has snubbed the Sri Lanka Government by refusing to accept Colombo's nominee to be the next High Commissioner to that country. The agrement (approval by a state of a diplomatic representative sent to it) of former Defence Ministry Secretary Chandrananda de Silva, the nominee of the UPFA Government, has been rejected by the Canadian Government -- under the country's Immigration Act of 2002.

The startling decision of the Canadian Government was conveyed to the Sri Lanka Foreign Office this week, The Sunday Times learns. According to diplomatic sources, the Canadian Government has signalled the Sri Lanka Government that it will not be able to accept Mr. de Silva as Sri Lanka's next High Commissioner to Ottawa because under the provisions of the Immigration Act of that country, Mr. de Silva as the one-time holder of office as Secretary of Defence is a person, in respect of whom, if there are any allegations of human rights abuses whether proved or not, would be regarded as an inadmissible person to that country.

The decision comes as a major embarrassment to the Colombo Government which has, ironically, long accused the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of being the ones who have abused Human Rights during their 20-year war for independence in the island's north and east provinces.

A long-standing public servant, Mr. de Silva served as Elections Commissioner prior to becoming the Defence Secretary under the PA Government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Diplomatic sources said that they believed the Canadian Government's decision was inspired by an active LTTE lobby in Canada. Expatriate Sri Lankan Tamils live in Canada in huge numbers, especially in Toronto, and have been able to penetrate the Canadian political mainstream.

However, these same sources pointed out that the Canadian Government has of late shifted its once pro-LTTE stance and was wary of the rebel organisation though it has stopped short of banning the organisation in that country.

Recently, however, Ottawa refused entry-visas to some pro-LTTE Members of Parliament from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). In the 1980s, the Canadian Government turned down the agrement of a former Army Commander Tissa 'Bul ' Weeratunga who was appointed by then President J.R. Jayewardene.

President Jayewardene had refused to change his decision, and after some months, the Canadian Government relented and permitted Gen. Weeratunga to take up his posting as High Commissioner. There was no official reaction available from the Colombo Foreign Office to this latest move by the Canadian Government.

Mr. de Silva was to replace career diplomat Geetha de Silva as High Commissioner in Ottawa and has been attending lectures at the diplomatic training school run by the Foreign Ministry in preparation to taking up duties.

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