Canada says end Emergency

Canada, home to the biggest Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, has urged Sri Lanka to lift the state of emergency imposed during the onslaught on the Tamil Tigers. Urging Colombo to ease restrictions and work for reconciliation with the Tamil community, Ottawa also urged speedy resettlement of the displaced Tamils. Canadian Foreign Affairs Parliament Secretary Deepak Obhrai, in his meeting with Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara, urged Colombo to heal the wounds by starting the process of reconciliation with the Tamil community. "After 30 years of war, reconciliation is crucial for lasting peace in Sri Lanka. The government of Canada awaits to see what steps the government of Sri Lanka will take towards this reconciliation,"  Obhrai said after the meeting. He said Canada welcomes the return of about 160,000 internally displaced people to their homes. But Sri Lanka also needs to speed up the "safe return and resettlement of the approximately 100,000 individuals who remain displaced,’’ he said.   www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/2304-canada-says-end-state-of-emergency.html