Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Canada celebrated Thai Pongal on 19 January 2020 at the Official Residence of the High Commissioner amidst a large gathering.

 The celebrations commenced with a Welcome Address followed by the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagama, Mrs. Sudarma Girihagama, a representative of the Sri Lankan community in Ottawa and representatives of the Tamil community in Ottawa.

After the reading of the Thai Pongal message by H. E the President of Sri Lanka, High Commissioner Girihagama addressed the gathering.

Read more: Sri Lanka High Commission in Canada celebrates Thai Pongal

The Deputy Speaker Hon. J. M. Ananda Kumarasiri and the Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Mr. Neil Iddawala participated at the 25^th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Ottawa from 6 to 10 January 2020.

Speakers and Presiding Officers from 37 Commonwealth Parliaments attended the Conference. The Conference, which was opened by the Governor-General of Canada, Her Excellency the Rt Hon. Julie Payette at a ceremony held in the Senate of Canada on  7^th January 2020, was attended by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagama and the two delegates from Sri Lanka.

Read more: High Commissioner Girihagama hosts the Deputy Speaker and the Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

The staff of the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa commenced work on the first day of the year with a special programme with Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagama hoisting the national flag followed by the singing of the national anthem. Thereafter, two minutes of silence was observed to commemorate war heroes and others who had sacrificed their lives on behalf of their motherland. The staff of the High Commission took the ‘Oath of Public Servants’ by pledging to work with efficiency and productivity throughout the year 2020.

 High Commissioner Girihagama commenced his address by extending his best wishes for the new year and underscored the importance of adhering to the oath of the public servants. While thanking the staff for the work and events that were successfully carried out in 2019, he called on the staff to continue with achieving the desired outcome in keeping with the Government’s vision to increase productivity and economic empowerment.

Read more: Commencement of work in the New Year at the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagama attended special religious observances organized separately by two Buddhist temples in Ottawa consisting of the Ottawa Buddhist Vihara and Hilda Jayewardenaramaya on 1^st January 2020.

The venerable theros of the two temples invoked blessings on the Government and people of Sri Lanka.

The two events were attended by a large number of devotees.

Read more: High Commissioner Girihagama attends religious observances to invoke blessings for the New Year

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Canada in coordination with the Good Shepherd Church in Ottawa organised a Christmas celebration on 22 December 2019 at the Church premises.

The celebrations commenced with the Welcome Address by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagama who spoke of the universal event of Christmas which marked the birth of Christ over 2000 years ago. He stated that Christmas was a time to remember those who were less privileged, the sick, the hungry and the poor and the importance of treating one another with love and compassion. He also remembered the victims of the senseless terror attacks in    Sri Lanka on 21 April 2019 which occurred eight month ago.

The High Commissioner’s address was followed by a holy Mass conducted by Reverend Father Virgil Amirthakumar and Father Yacob Joseph. Hymns and Christmas carols in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages were rendered by the Tamil Group and the Ottawa-Sri Lanka Catholic Prayer Group.

Following the Vote of Thanks, the guests were served light refreshments and freshly brewed Ceylon Tea, complements of the Sri Lanka Tea Board and Basilar, while children were delighted by Santa Clause who distributed candy to the young guests.

The Christmas celebration was well attended by over 200 Sri Lanka nationals, Canadians of  Sri Lankan origin and Canadians among others.

Sri Lanka High Commission

Ottawa

23^rd December 2019

The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Relations has been drawn to remarks made by Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila over media on 3 December 2019 in connection with the reference to Sri Lanka in the election manifesto of the Conservative Party in the run up to the general election in the United Kingdom scheduled for 12 December 2019.

In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Relations wishes to state that a paragraph on page 53 of the Conservative party manifesto which refers to Sri Lanka is worded as follows:

'We will continue to support international initiatives to achieve reconciliation, stability and justice across the world, and in the former conflict zones such as Cyprus, Sri Lanka and the Middle East, where we maintain our support for a two-state solution;'

Following publication of the manifesto, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the UK in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Relations took immediate steps to make strong representation to the Co-Chair of the Conservative Party The Rt. Hon. James Cleverly with regard to the distortion contained in the manifesto in its reference to Sri Lanka. This was conveyed through letter by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in the UK Manisha Gunasekera on 27 November 2019 addressed to the Co-Chair of the Conservative party.

The High Commissioner affirmed that the reference to Sri Lanka as a country which requires a two-state solution is unacceptable, and has never been the position of any party in the UK. She reaffirmed that successive British Governments led by all parties have always supported peace and reconciliation in a united Sri Lanka. The High Commissioner therefore requested that the paragraph be suitably amended to accurately reflect the Conservative party position on Sri Lanka.  A copy of the letter is annexed herewith for perusal (Annex I)

Subsequent to representation by the High Commissioner through the above submission as well as through outreach to senior representatives of the Conservative party, the Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party Paul Scully issued the following clarification on the subject to the High Commissioner by his email communication of 27 November 2019:

Read more: MEDIA STATEMENT