Foreign Affairs committee  That's correct.

Foreign Affairs committee  They are not. Canada—

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, we did.

Foreign Affairs committee  Exactly.

Foreign Affairs committee  I think one of the main ways to do that is to open the door to more organizations or to give them a seat at the table to provide more feedback on what's happening on the ground. However, I think what's even more important is what happens afterwards, giving us the opportunity to understand why a particular individual is not being sanctioned.

Foreign Affairs committee  In some jurisdictions, they match, but in others there are other individuals who have been identified—for example, in the United States. That's why we're saying that there needs to be a coordinated effort, because in the case of these economic sanctions, if those individuals are sanctioned in Canada but they're not sanctioned in Germany, they can easily just transfer their assets to another country.

Foreign Affairs committee  We share that same thought as well. As I mentioned in my remarks, sanctions are only the beginning in that process for victims and for justice and accountability. I believe it is important that the sanctions help strengthen these international justice mechanisms for victims to receive justice and accountability.

Foreign Affairs committee  Was that in regard to the individual?

Foreign Affairs committee  There are four people currently sanctioned under SEMA. One of the individuals was an army general who was involved in the murder of 11 individuals in a town called Trincomalee. That's what I was referring to in that particular situation.

Foreign Affairs committee  Our field research and our connections with civil society on the ground in Sri Lanka have shown that since the sanctions were placed in January, the culture of impunity has not changed in Sri Lanka. As I mentioned, as recently as last week there was a memorialization event of an individual who died in a hunger strike 36 years ago.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you. Mr. Chair and honourable members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify as part of a panel of witnesses in this study of Canada's sanctions regime. Tamil Rights Group is a not-for-profit human rights organization acting globally to support Eelam Tamils.