Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

• At the invitation of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath NORODOM SIHAMONI, King of Cambodia, His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka paid a state visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia from 07 to 10 August 2019.

• The President of Sri Lanka laid wreaths at the Independence Monument and paid homage in memory of the great war heroes and heroines of Cambodia. He also paid tribute at the Royal Memorial of His Majesty the late King-Father of Cambodia, Preah Bat Samdech Preah NORODOM SIHANOUK PREAH BOROM RATANAK KAUDH.

• During this visit, His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena had an audience with His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath NORODOM SIHAMONI, King of Cambodia. His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka attended a state banquet hosted in his honour by His Majesty the King at the Royal Palace, where he also met with Samdech Vibol Sena Pheakdei Say Chhum, President of the Senate and Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly.

• The President of Sri Lanka also had a bilateral discussion with Samdach Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, during which both Leaders reaffirmed commitment to further deepen bilateral relations which are firmly supported by the cultural and religious affinity of the two nations.

Read more: Sri Lanka-Cambodia Joint Statement

Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Canada, M. A. K. Girihagama attended the 34^th annual Tri- City Cricket Tournament organized by the Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa (SLCAO) on 2^nd of August at Hunt Club- Riverside Community Center. The event was attended by MP David McGuinty, Ottawa South, Hon MP Chandra Arya, Nepean among many other distinguished guests.

Two teams each from Ottawa and Montreal and one team from Toronto competed for the SLCAO Tri City Championship. The team from Toronto “TW Cricketers” won the championship. The event also consisted of a 1 hour complimentary softball cricket workshop/demonstration for children/youth, books giveaway and Sri Lankan acoustic music.

Read more: Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Canada attended Tri- City Cricket Tournament

The High Commissioner, Asoka Girihagama and the Consul General, Kapila Jayaweera attended a Meeting with Sri Lankan expatriates at Brampton Buddhist Temple on 27^th July.

Around 100-120 Sri Lankan community members attended the meeting held in the temple’s sermon hall with the participation of the chief incumbent and other two monks. High Commissioner Girihagama explained the purpose of the meeting and briefed them on the activities of the High Commission and the Consulate, trade between the two countries, development projects, areas of cooperation and political issues that are currently being handled by the Mission and the Post including genocide allegations.

The Consul General, Mr. Kapila Jayaweera addressing the gathering explained the services rendered by the Consulate General office and issues that have impacted on Sri Lanka along with the action taken by the Mission and the Consulate.

The High Commissioner and the Consul General clarified various issues raised by the community members, which are related to dual citizenship, current trade activities, pension, genocide allegations and strategy to counter it. The chief incumbent and the organizers of the meeting appreciated the efforts of the High Commission and the Consulate to brief them on the current political scenario highlighted the importance of keeping them informed of the Mission’s and Consulate General Office’s activities.

The High Commissioner, Asoka Girihagama and the Consul General, Kapila Jayaweera participated in the 7^th Annual Pilgrimage to Martyr’s Shrine – Sri Lanka Day organized by the Canada – Sri Lanka Catholic Association Ontario on 27^th July

.

The 7^th Annual Pilgrimage to Martyr’s Shrine – Sri Lanka Day, a Sri Lankan Catholic religious event was attended by over 300 Sri Lankan community members. Reverend Bishop Maxwell Silva has been invited from Sri Lanka to the function this year.

The High Commissioner addressing the gathering highlighted the importance of religious and cultural harmony and unity among the communities. He noted that the Sri Lankan community in Canada had paid their tribute to the victims of the Easter Sunday attack by organizing religious events in various cities in Canada and that underscored the importance of such religious and cultural events to bring the community members together irrespective of their differences.  

The High Commissioner and the Consul General attended the Annual General Meeting of the Ontario Pensioners Association (OSPA) on 26^th July at the Banquet Hall, Miracle Family Temple, and Scarborough, Ontario. Around 150 pensioners attended the meeting in which issues and grievances of the Sri Lankan pensioners were discussed.

The pensioners submitted their issues in writing to the President of the OSPA. The President (OSPA) will forward those issues to the High Commission through the Consulate General office in Toronto for forwarding them to DG/Pensions. The Secretary of OSPA, Mr. R. Ragupathy while appreciating the participation of the High Commissioner and the Consul General, expressed their expectation in resolving their pension issues by the Department of Pension at the earliest.

Addressing the 26^th session of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) held on 02 August 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand, Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana stressed the necessity for concerted global efforts to counter traditional and non-traditional security concerns including terrorism, violent extremism and cybercrime. In this context, Minister Marapana underscored the need for a deepened resolve among the ARF participants to overcome these challenges.

The 26^th ARF session focused on expanding confidence building measures and enhancing cooperation in areas such as the anti-terrorism effort, strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime, preventive diplomacy, countering violent extremism, promoting women, peace and security and ensuring the secure use of information and communication technologies.

Further, the Meeting condemned multifaceted acts of terrorism including the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka and the recent acts of violence in New Zealand and the Philippines.

Read more: Foreign Minister Marapana calls for increased cooperation to combat regional security challenges at the 26th ASEAN Regional Forum

GLOBAL

By SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN JUL. 18, 2019

‘This is what we can’t accept’: A unanimous House motion in June called on the UN to investigate ‘allegations of genocide’ against the country’s minority Tamils, a term the South Asian nation categorically rejects.

It’s been a “very challenging” first year for Sri Lanka’s new high commissioner, whose arrival last fall came months before the 10th anniversary of armed conflict ending in the South Asian country that was also rocked by a slate of bombings on Easter Sunday this year.

Since his November 2018 start, Asoka Girihagama said much of his time has been devoted to developing political relationships in Canada against that backdrop, though he says the two nations share strong, and long-standing relations. Canada is also helping to support reconciliation, an ongoing effort between the minority Tamil and majority Sinhalese populations in the island nation still recovering from 26 years of war.

May marked the 10-year anniversary of its end, with commemorations across Canada, which is home to more than 200,000 people of Sri Lankan descent—according to Global Affairs Canada, though the community’s estimates are far higher—with most living near Toronto, and the majority of Tamil origin.

In June, before the House rose, MPs gave unanimous support for a motion that called on the Sri Lankan government to “protect the rights of religious minorities,” and said the United Nations should do an independent investigation “into allegations of genocide against Tamils,” including during the last phase of conflict in 2009.

“This is what we can’t accept,” he said of the term genocide, saying the UN investigation is unnecessary since the country has already supported a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council, which recognized the need for truth, justice, and reparations after the war.

It’s political statements like this that Mr. Girihagama said made for a “very challenging” first year, where he’s been “trying to convince this political leadership in Canada that there has been no genocide in Sri Lanka.”

“I’m really careful about these issues,”  he said in a July 5 interview at the downtown Laurier Avenue high commission, because they’re “very sensitive.”

Read more: Sri Lankan envoy reflects on ‘very challenging’ first year handling ‘sensitive’ files