Bid to include genocide allegation against Sri Lanka in Canada's school curriculum thwarted

Dr. Neville Hewage yesterday said that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada had determined that alleged Tamil genocide hadn't taken place in Sri Lanka.

- BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO

The academic, who successfully moved the Canadian courts, said that, therefore, the much-touted Tamil Genocide Education Week Act (TGEWA), in terms of the ruling given by the Ontario Court of Appeal and confirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada, is not within provincial Jurisdiction Education under Canada's Constitution. Dr. Hewage said so in response to The Island query.

Declaring that the Canadian ruling was a huge victory for Sri Lanka, constantly harassed by various interested parties over unsubstantiated war crimes allegations, Dr. Hewage emphasised that alleged Tamil genocide couldn't be in the school curriculum.

The Canadian parliament in May 2022 declared May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, thereby recognising the massacre of Tamils during the last phase of the war.

Responding to another query, Dr. Hewage valued the legal action at approximately $350,000 while denying any backing from the Sri Lankan government. "I haven't received any funding from the government," Dr. Hewage said, appreciating the backing provided by the Canadian legal team.