SL HC in Canada refutes allegation of “Tamil Genocide” in the final phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka High Commission in Canada expressed severe concerns over attempts by certain parties in Canada trying to portray the final phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka which ended in 2009 as a ‘genocide’ against the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. 

"The term genocide is used to describe one of the gravest crimes against humanity, comprising of specific acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group," a statement from the High Commission in Ottawa said. 

The Sri Lanka community in Canada is multi-ethnic and multi-religious. In this context, the Private Member Bill 104 on ‘Tamil Genocide Education Week’ passed in the province of Ontario in Canada has caused strain in intercommunity relations among the Sri Lankan community by the depiction of a false narrative against one community. 

 
In addition, while appreciating the various Canadian Government focused  programmes for Sri Lankan Tamil Canadians, we are disappointed to note that on 31 January, 2022 at an event  announcing  funding for Tamil students with targeted mental health and wellness programmes and resources, Ontario’s Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, made comments including “we are very deliberate in our choice of words that we recognise a genocide that transpired against the innocent Tamil people” and “in a genocide that has left over 140,000 innocents perished at the hands of the regime in Colombo”. MPP Scarborough – Rouge Park Vijay Thanigasalam, who was also present referred to “Tamil genocide’ in his remarks. 
 
"We are appreciative that the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Canada in a Diplomatic Note dated 7 April, 2021 responding to a clarification stated “that the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development clarify Canada’s official position with regard to allegations of genocide in Sri Lanka, the department can officially confirm that the Government of Canada has not made a finding that there was genocide in Sri Lanka.” Further, the Government of Canada has proscribed the Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist organisation. "

In this background, the repeated use of the word “Tamil Genocide” only generates dissention and prejudice amongst the children and community of Sri Lankan Canadians living in Ontario. Therefore, such allegations need to be refuted in the interest of social harmony and to prevent the spread of fallacies about Sri Lanka in the international community.

During the final phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka, the government forces confronted the internationally proscribed terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), one of the most brutal terror groups the world has witnessed. The aim of the LTTE was to divide Sri Lanka on ethnic lines and carve out a separate State. With this objective, they conducted a three decades long terrorist campaign which brought much suffering and destruction to all communities, the statement added.