Canada Must Stand With Tamil Civilians
Posted by Archer on May 13, 2009
Canada has an option and an obligation to use its considerable economic and diplomatic muscle in any way possible to bring about an immediate cease fire in Sri Lanka.
However this clear and obvious course of action is lost in the confusion of political chest thumping and well intentioned but essentially short sighted local hand-wringing.
In Canada, we must focus on the humanitarian reality first.
The main issue is not the nature of Canada’s relations and interactions with a foreign government.
The major issue is not that the Canadian government has declared the Tamil Tigers a terrorist organization or who carried what flag at a demonstration.
The major issue is not the tactics of civil disobedience or the citizenship status of some demonstrators.
And the larger issue is most definitely not the transgressing of traffic or right of way laws that amount to no more inconvenience than that created by a burst water-main or a St. Patrick’s Day parade.
The main issue is the wretched reality of thousands of innocent people trapped in a war zone through no fault of their own.
Canada is being asked by the Canadian Tamil community to take a lead role in restoring sanity in the region. Advocating loudly and vigorously for a cease fire and using whatever tactics available to bring it about could save countless lives, will cost us little and will enhance Canada’s standing in international humanitarian issues.
It’s also clearly the right thing to do.
jonolan said
Perhaps Canada has the option of interfering with the sovereign nation Si Lanka, but the obligation? No, I don’t think so. Nations, unless voluntarily bound by treaties, are not obligated to interfere with the internal matters of other nation. In point of fact, they’re obligated not to do so unless those internal matters have direct international consequences.
Archer said
Thanks for swinging by Jonolan and I can certainly see your points.
But first I have to question your assertion that economic and diplomatic influence would be interfering.
We have the right to shape our interactions with others – sovereign nations included – as we see fit. If that sometimes involves advocating for basic human rights on behalf of non- Canadians – consistent with our interests and values – then that is a good thing.
To the extent that we interfere with internal matters of other nations, we must do it legally, in full view and from outside.
And just to be clear, in a non military way.
It is possible that we signed some U.N. treaty somewhere along the line that might kick in as a legal obligation at some distant point but clearly that almost never happens.
But the obligation I was referring to was of a more intangible moral sort and not one of legal standing. Of course I understand that is a personal position and I do not expect everyone to see it that way.
Legally obligated to act, legally obligated not to act, treaties up the ying yang in all directions, direct international consequences – who decides that? whatever, non of it matters right now.
We have an opportunity to influence a tragic situation in a hopefully positive way – we are being asked to do so – and it looks to me like there’s no good reason that inaction is preferable to trying to do something, anything to restore peace.
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