http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20120207_01


Amnesty International gets funds from LTTE lobby ahead of UNHRC summit

In the wake of Amnesty International receiving 50,000 Canadian
dollars from the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), the impartiality of human rights
watchdog, one of those organizations campaigning for an international war crimes
inquiry on accountability issues in Sri Lanka, was in question, the government
alleged yesterday.
CTC was spearheading a campaign in Canada for a resolution
against Sri Lanka at the forthcoming UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva
over accountability issues.
The controversial donation to the AI had been officially
announced by CTC Chief Suntharamoorthy Umasuthan at the 5th Thai Pongal dinner
at Grand Baccus Banquet and Conference Center, 2155 McNicoll Ave., Scarborough.
There were over 500 guests at the event with each paying 100 Canadian dollars
per plate. Among those present were politicians representing major political
parties, including the ruling party. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was a
special guest at the fund raiser, along with Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran.
Sources told The Island last night that the SriLankan government
was like to raise the issue with the London headquartered organization, which
has released a damaging report on Sri Lanka's war against the LTTE.
AI along with the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) and
International Crisis Group (ICG) turned down an invitation from the Lessons
Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to testify.
CTC Chief, in his address, thanked Canadian Premier Stephan
Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird for supporting their cause.
Harper and Baird targeted Sri Lanka recently at Commonwealth Heads of Government
(CHOGM 2011) in Perth, Australia, raised the Sri Lanka issue at the UNGA and
opposed Sri Lanka being the host of CHOGM 2013.
The CTC Chief told the gathering the group would continue to
engage politicians on issues of concern to all Canadians. He vowed to press
ahead with what he called their international advocacy work along with their
partners to ensure accountability issues in Sri Lanka.
Courtesy : The Island