Dear P M Inpanayagam,
The Secretary of State for External Affairs, The Honourable Barbara
McDougall, has asked me to reply to your letter of January 21, 1992
regarding your concerns about the situation in Sri Lanka.
As I am sure you are aware, Canada reduced the amount of aid given to Sri
Lanka at the aid
consortium. It may, however, interest you to learn that virtually all
Canadian aid to Sri Lanka is channelled through local and Canadian
non-governmental organizations. This makes it possible to finance projects
that lend themselves to the active participation of local communities. It
also helps to address the social and economic needs of the people and to
improve their quality of life.
Canada worked closely with like-minded countries at the
48th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in
late February to introduce a Chairman's Statement on Sri Lanka. This
statement, while acknowledging initial steps taken by the Government of Sri
Lanka, calls for a substantially increased effort in the future to address
the need for a cessation of fighting in the north east and the achievement
of a durable peace and restoration of respect for the law and for the civil
and human rights of all Sri Lankans. It specifically calls on Sri Lanka to
take action to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Working
Group on Disappearances, and to re-admit the Working Group to Sri Lanka in
1992 to monitor the process of implementation of the recommendations.
You may also be interested in the statement made by the Head of the
Delegation of Canada, Ms Anne Park. I am enclosing a copy for your
information.
Thank you for writing to express your concerns about the situation in Sri
Lanka.
Yours sincerely,
J J Scott
Director
Asia Pacific South
Relations Division
Enclosure
