Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We don't have a conclusive answer to that, but certainly we are aware of those concerns. That's all the more reason why, going back to the Maspero Square incident from October, we're insisting that there actually needs to be a thorough and independent investigation that will look at not only the fine points of the tragedy as it unfolded in the square, but actually the wider context in which that all happened.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you very much. Good afternoon, members. It's always a pleasure to be in front of you. I'm certainly pleased to have an opportunity to address such a timely and important human rights concern as the situation in Egypt, with specific focus on the plight of Coptic Christians.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Absolutely. We want to put our money where our mouth is when it comes to this need for justice and accountability. We feel we have a lot to contribute and offer in Sri Lanka, whether it be the results of our many years of human rights research in Sri Lanka, or some of the recommendations and thinking we've done over the years—in collaboration with Sri Lankans themselves, of course—about the kinds of reforms that are necessary to move forward with human rights change in the country.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Do you mean if they able to cooperate with the LLRC?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I had three main recommendations. I think I got two of them in front of you. One is that we certainly look to the Canadian government to remain very active at the UN Human Rights Council, and the March session in particular. We think that's vital. The other is to really move forward with a two-year Commonwealth agenda, starting now and leading up the summit in 2013.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We have to remember when we talk about the United Nations, there is no such thing as the United Nations. It's of course a whole bunch of different nations, all of whom have slightly different positions and policies and goals on any issue, including Sri Lanka. Some may be thinking very constructively, okay, if we're going to move forward with some sort of UN led investigation there, it's really only going to be effective if we get Sri Lanka on side.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I express appreciation back to you, then.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  That's a very good point. It's important to highlight that there are two ways forward in ensuring that justice and accountability advances in Sri Lanka. The first is the need for a large, overarching process of some kind—an independent international commission or investigation—but the second is case-specific work.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think it all comes down to politics.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Obviously, most things within the United Nations do. I think the starting point is to highlight that the Government of Sri Lanka itself is strongly opposed to the idea of an international investigation going forward. That in itself would obviously be one very significant obstacle to carrying out an effective international investigation, because without the cooperation and collaboration of the Sri Lankan government, it will be difficult.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Mr. Marston. I would like to make some recommendations that Amnesty International has for the Canadian government, which I think speak to some of the points you've just raised. We're concerned about the long-standing lack of justice and accountability, not just in the final weeks and months of terrible abuses by both sides, but also the previous decades of abuses and violations.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Reid. And good afternoon, members of the subcommittee. It's a pleasure to be in front of you again. We very much welcome the fact that we'll be discussing a part of the world that for Amnesty International has long been a priority concern. I was thinking about the fact that my own involvement with Amnesty International back in the mid eighties was marked by an intense campaign of work on that disappearances that were happening in Sri Lanka.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Chair, and good afternoon, everyone. I'm going to say a few brief words just to situate the presentation you're going to hear from us this afternoon. Amnesty International is a member of the Americas Policy Group, which many of you will know is an organization made up of approximately 40 trade unions and faith groups and other non-governmental organizations.

International Trade committee  I don't know the answer off the top of my head. Certainly we regularly condemn the FARC for a whole range of human rights abuses. I can't, off the top of my head, point to an instance of our doing so with respect to a labour leader. If it has happened, and we have confirmed and corroborated it, we would absolutely condemn it.

International Trade committee  Well, you asked about whether or not this will help the average Colombian, and I don't know who you have in mind with the “average Colombian”. It may well be that for a middle-class Colombian living in Bogota, there may be some gain. For millions of Colombians living in rural areas, for indigenous Colombians, for Afro-descended Colombians, there's a very different reality, a reality that could be about increased displacement, increased violence, and that is not about well-being, economic or otherwise.