The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected a message by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on May 18, referring to a “genocide” during Sri Lanka’s war.  

PM Trudeau, in a statement, noted that Canada’s Parliament unanimously voted to recognise May 18 as ‘Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day’.

“We will always advocate for justice and accountability for the crimes committed during the conflict, as well as for the hardships faced by all in Sri Lanka. In 2023, we imposed sanctions against four former Sri Lankan government officials in response to their violations of human rights in the country during the armed conflict,” Trudeau said in his statement.

Responding to the statement, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry said it rejects the false allegation of a so-called “genocide” in Sri Lanka by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Ministry said the Government of Sri Lanka in all previous communications has categorically refuted such outrageous allegations of genocide in Sri Lanka. 

“No competent authority in Canada or elsewhere in the world has made any objective determination of genocide having taken place in Sri Lanka. Canada’s falsification of our history amounts to irresponsible disinformation. It misleads the minds of current and future generations in Canada and elsewhere, encouraging and perpetuating hatred. It empowers extremism on all sides in all parts of the world where such messages are easily and instantaneously transmitted including through social media,” the Ministry said. 

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry further pointed out that the repeated statements by the Prime Minister of Canada with regard to Sri Lanka are the outcome of electoral vote bank politics in Canada, funded by a small number of Canadians of Sri Lankan origin with vested and personal interest. 

Stating that Sri Lanka categorically rejects the allegation of genocide, the Foreign Ministry urged the Canadian Government to assume responsibility in a spirit of mutual respect in promoting peace and harmony. (Newswire)

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry has summoned the Canadian High Commissioner in Colombo over recent claims made with regard to Sri Lanka by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Minister Ali Sabry has summoned the Canadian High Commissioner to register a protest on the alleged ‘genocide in Sri Lanka’ claimed by the Canadian Prime Minister.

The Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday unreservedly rejected the statement issued by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on Thursday (May 18), which it claimed contained outrageous claims of genocide relating to the past conflict in Sri Lanka.

Issuing a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Sri Lanka unreservedly rejects the unfounded allegations by the Canadian Prime Minister.

The Ministry further said such irresponsible and polarizing pronouncements by the leader of a nation breeds disharmony and hatred both in Canada and Sri Lanka, instead of promoting peace and reconciliation.

Sri Lanka also urged Canada and its leaders to refrain from making pronouncements from Canada which promote hatred, misinformation and extremist views and to cease its unhelpful focus on Sri Lanka based on distorted facts. (NewsWire)

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