Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada, released the following statement on the anniversary of Black July and the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War:
“Forty-three years ago marked the horrific transformation of decades of repression and discrimination into an outright calamity as the Sri Lankan government unleashed a campaign of genocide against the Tamil people, leaving thousands dead and tens of thousands more fleeing their homes.
“In the ensuing 26 years of civil war, Tamils were targeted with horrific violence and became victims of some of the worst massacres the region has ever seen. Innocent Tamils became the targets of government-backed pogroms, and communities and homes that had stood for generations were reduced to ashes.
“Black July did not mark the culmination of the government’s cruelty, but the beginning of more brutal violence that would extend over the more than 25-year-long Sri Lankan Genocide.
“More than four decades later, the wounds of the Tamil people remain open. The recent discoveries at the Chemmani mass grave site have once again forced the world to confront the legacy of these forced disappearances and mass atrocities.
“Although the civil war has ended, Sri Lanka has not seen true reconciliation, and the perpetrators of this brutal violence have not faced justice.
“On this anniversary, Canada must build on its legacy of fighting for accountability – just as Prime Minister Stephen Harper did by boycotting the Commonwealth summit – by demanding that the Rajapaksa regime and all those responsible for these crimes are prosecuted at an international court or tribunal.
“As Canadians of Tamil heritage solemnly mark the anniversary of Black July, we once again remember this dark chapter in Sri Lanka’s history, and we stand with those who continue to carry the pain of this violence, persecution and loss.”