Sri Lankan civil war probe resolution welcomed by Canada

Canada is welcoming a decision by the United Nations Human Rights Council that presses Sri Lanka to properly investigate alleged war crimes in connection with the country's two-and-a-half decade civil war.

The council has approved a resolution, co-sponsored by Canada, which urges the government to fully examine allegations of summary executions, kidnappings and other atrocities by government forces and the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The resolution passed over the objection of the Sri Lankan government, which views it as an infringement of its sovereignty.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says Canada continues to call for an independent investigation into alleged violations that occurred in May 2009 when government forces routed the Tigers to end the long civil war.

Human rights groups have accused the Sri Lankan government of whitewashing the matter through an ineffective reconciliation commission report.

Three Canadian parliamentarians are in Sri Lanka this week to evaluate the situation.

Chris Alexander, a former diplomat and now a Conservative MP, Conservative MP Rick Dykstra and Conservative Senator Vern White, a former police officer, are there to meet with government officials and non-governmental organizations, as well as community representatives, according to a news release from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Baird has urged the government of Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations in the reconciliation report.

Alexander, Dykstra and White will report back to Baird on the findings of their trip.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said Canada will boycott the 2013 Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka if the government does not take the matter more seriously.