Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, Canada is deeply concerned by the civilian casualties caused by the continued fighting between the government forces and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
We call on all parties in this conflict to end the violence, to allow full, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers, and to ensure the safe and voluntary movement of civilians from the combat zones.
The Government of Canada further calls upon the government of Sri Lanka to start building confidence measures to ensure Tamil aspirations are met through peaceful engagement and inclusion within the democratic process.
The root cause of this conflict must be addressed to ensure the return of peace. The Government of Canada, therefore, calls upon all Sri Lankan citizens, Sinhalese, Tamil and others, to work together to build a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka.