Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present petition e-4981, with 593 signatures, on behalf of Eelam Tamils from across Canada, with the support of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam.
The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to take legal action before the International Court of Justice against Sri Lanka under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. They note the atrocity crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, committed against the Eelam Tamil people, citing reports by the United Nations Secretary-General's panel of experts on accountability in Sri Lanka and internal review panel on United Nations action in Sri Lanka. The petitioners are deeply committed to a world that is free of genocide, and they believe accountability is essential in preventing genocide and ensuring “never again”.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, I present petition e-5058, with 636 signatories, on behalf of Eelam Tamils from coast to coast to coast. The petition describes Canada as a diasporic home to the largest number of Eelam Tamils, a nation of people facing protracted genocide for over 75 years in Tamil Eelam, their occupied traditional homeland in Sri Lanka.
First, the petitioners call upon the House of Commons to initiate proceedings by Canada against Sri Lanka at the International Court of Justice to investigate Tamil genocide, both as an injured state party on behalf of its citizens of Eelam Tamil heritage and as a state party exercising obligations erga omnes partes.
Second, the petitioners call for an internationally administered referendum among the people in the occupied homeland and in the diaspora on the creation of an independent and sovereign state of Tamil Eelam.