Canada is "appalled" that Sri Lanka has been chosen to host the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in November, its foreign minister says.
John Baird said Sri Lanka had failed in the fundamental Commonwealth values of "freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and good governance".
Sri Lanka dismissed Canada's objections, saying Commonwealth members had agreed the summit could go ahead.
Sri Lanka's army defeated Tamil rebels after a brutal 26-year war in 2009.
The entire conflict left at least 100,000 people dead.
(...)
Mr Baird told the BBC's Newshour: "Canada finds it appalling that the government in Colombo would be given the honour and the privilege and responsibility of hosting Commonwealth leaders.
"The Commonwealth has fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good governance and the government in Colombo has failed in all of those respects."
He said there had been "little, if any, accountability since the war ended". Full story...
Related posts:
John Baird said Sri Lanka had failed in the fundamental Commonwealth values of "freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and good governance".
Sri Lanka dismissed Canada's objections, saying Commonwealth members had agreed the summit could go ahead.
Sri Lanka's army defeated Tamil rebels after a brutal 26-year war in 2009.
The entire conflict left at least 100,000 people dead.
(...)
Mr Baird told the BBC's Newshour: "Canada finds it appalling that the government in Colombo would be given the honour and the privilege and responsibility of hosting Commonwealth leaders.
"The Commonwealth has fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good governance and the government in Colombo has failed in all of those respects."
He said there had been "little, if any, accountability since the war ended". Full story...
Related posts:
- Commonwealth urged to drop Sri Lanka venue amid rights accusations...
- Sri Lanka facing constitutional crisis concludes IBAHRI report; journalists...
- Sri Lanka newspaper office set ablaze, fifth media attack this year...
- Tamil paper attacked in northern Sri Lanka, staff badly beaten...
- Sri Lanka on the knife edge...
- Sri Lanka accused of ongoing torture and abuse of Tamil prisoners...
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