For Immediate Release
October 18, 2009
Toronto, Canada – It has been reported that 76 men from Sri Lanka have arrived in Vancouver as part of an effort to seek refuge in Canada. While this is a difficult situation for all involved, including the Canadian government and these refugees, it is not a time to act hastily or fan the flames of anti-immigrant sentiment.
“These Tamil migrants, like so many before, have fled Sri Lanka in an effort to find freedom, democracy and respect for their human rights in Canada,” said Babu Nagalingam, President, Canadian Human Rights Voice. “We call on our the Government to show compassion and allow these individuals an opportunity to make a case to enter Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.”
Since coming to office, Prime Minister Harper has shown his compassion for Vietnamese and Burmese refugees. He has also apologized for the turning back of the Kamagata Maru in 1914, a ship containing migrants from India, the members of who were sent to an awaiting hostile British army in India which attached and killed a majority of them. Canada’s conservative government is also seeking ways to make amends for turning back SS St. Louis in 1939 which was carrying 936 Jewish, and one non-Jewish refugee.
“The Prime Minister and his government have shown compassion and an understanding for those who cherish freedom, democracy and human rights in the past. They have also urged the Sri Lankan government to respect human rights and democratic values since the end of the civil war with the LTTE over six months ago, yet over 250,000 Tamils including women, children and the elderly remain in prisoners camps,” added Nagalingam. “Given the treatment of Tamils in Sri Lanka by a Government that has shown little respect for human rights, democratic values, or Canada’s condemnation of its record, we call on the Minister of Immigration and the Government to demonstrate compassion for these individuals and the Canadian Tamil community who are ready and willing to support these men should they be allowed to remain as refugees.”
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For more information, contact
Todd Ross, Spokesperson
Canadians Human Rights Voice
todd@chrv.ca
416-505-4740
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