The Sri Lankan government has firmly denounced Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertion of “genocide” during the country’s conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed Trudeau’s allegation as “outrageous” and politically driven, highlighting that no competent authority has objectively established that genocide occurred in Sri Lanka.
The statement emphasized that Canada’s excessive attention on Sri Lanka reflects double standards in its human rights advocacy. While proclaiming to be a global human rights champion, Canada allows space for Khalistani separatist elements to operate freely. The Sri Lankan government also questioned Canada’s motives, suggesting that Trudeau’s comments were influenced by electoral considerations and funded by a small group of Canadians of Sri Lankan origin with vested interests.
The Sri Lankan government highlighted the indiscriminate targeting of civilians by the LTTE regardless of their community, including the assassination of moderate Tamil leaders. Since the conflict’s end in 2009, Sri Lanka has taken significant steps toward reconciliation and durable peace despite current economic challenges. The government remains committed to continuing these efforts.
The LTTE waged a decades-long military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the island nation’s north and east. In 2009, the Sri Lankan Army declared victory after discovering the body of the LTTE’s leader, Velupillai Prabakaran. According to government figures, over 20,000 people remain missing due to various conflicts, including the brutal war with the Lankan Tamils, which claimed an estimated 100,000 lives.
