OTTAWA – The arrival of the 490 Tamil boat people seeking refuge in Canada is a symptom of the continued humanitarian suffering in Sri Lanka. It’s time for the government of Canada to rally international efforts to pressure the Sri Lankan government improve living conditions on the ground, say New Democrats.

“After the bloody civil war in Sri Lanka, Minister Cannon simply moved on from the file and failed to maintain international attention on the plight of Tamils,” said New Democrat Foreign Affairs Critic Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre). “Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of displaced people continued to be targeted for brutal human rights violations in government-run camps in unhealthy and unsafe conditions and without access to international aid agencies.”

“What motivated these people to take such a dangerous journey is the violence, insecurity, mass detention and human rights violations that have been widely reported by independent observers,” said New Democrat Immigration and Citizenship Critic Olivia Chow. “The best way to prevent others from having to make similar journeys in the future is to work on ending the humanitarian suffering in Sri Lanka”.

With the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009, New Democrats urged the Conservative government to take the lead with the international community to help rebuild the country. Specially ensuring the protection of all civilians, full access for humanitarian workers and media, and initiate internationally mediated efforts aimed at achieving a durable political solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. Dewar points if these measures would have been put in place last year these migrants might not have taken such a drastic step in trying to arrive in Canada.

“Canada missed an opportunity in post-conflict Sri Lanka for leadership in reconciliation, justice, and institution building to ensure that peace and stability are equitable and sustainable,” said Dewar. “The Conservatives should stop blaming the victims of the conflict who are now seeking asylum in Canada and instead rally the international community around improving the conditions on the ground in Sri Lanka.”