Sri Lanka accuses Canada of misusing voluntary funds

The Sri Lankan government Tuesday accused the Canadian government of using its voluntary funds to the Commonwealth Secretariat as a political tool based on the dictates of electoral compulsions.

Canada earlier announced that it had decided to suspend its voluntary contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat and reallocate the funds for the next two years in protest over Sri Lanka's human rights issue, Xinhua reported.

The relentless action pursued by Canada on Sri Lanka will only seek to undermine the delicate reconciliation process, as the bona fides of the basis of that government trajectory is questionable and not in tandem with the interests of the people of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka external affairs ministry said.

"It is the government of Sri Lanka which is best placed to continue the evolution of a home grown solution for its people in accordance with a realistic time frame," a spokesperson of the ministry said.

The action taken by Canada is at variance with the underlying spirit of the Commonwealth as a voluntary organisation of sovereign nations, with diversity being its hallmark, the official added.

"Concern has been expressed amongst the wider Commonwealth that the countries which provide the majority of the finances seek to unduly influence the working of the organisation. This action by Canada stands in evidence of such machinations," the official added.

--Indo-Asian News Serivce

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