156th
Independence Day of the Republic of
Liberia
Notes
for an address spoken to by the Hon. David
Kilgour, Member of Parliament (Edmonton
Southeast) and Secretary of State
(Asia-Pacific)
July
26, 2003
Edmonton
Thank you for
inviting my wife and I this evening.
We’re very pleased to be here, to
show our solidarity with the people of
Liberia – and the unbelievably tragic
situation they are being forced to live.
The Canadian Liberian Association
needs to be commended for organising this
dinner and program.
When peace does return to Liberia,
it will be organizations such as yours
that help put the country and its people
back on their feet.
As all of you
must know, the government of Canada –
like any government with an ounce of
integrity – absolutely deplores the
ongoing suffering inflicted of innocent
civilians in Liberia.
Moreover, it is a terrible crime
that Liberia’s children find themselves
drawn in as unwilling participants in the
civil war.
All parties must adhere to the
cease-fire and honest, open negotiations
need to take place.
We evidently
hope that Charles Taylor, a man indited
for crimes against humanity, will one day
face justice.
The Nigerian government’s gesture
of offering him immunity may help bring
peace to Liberia.
However, we cannot stand by and
watch a man charged with such heinous
crimes not be held responsible for his
actions.
For the time
being, Canada is doing what it can to help
the people who are most in need in Liberia
effectively.
To date, we’ve quietly donated
almost $3 million this year alone to help
with refugees, humanitarian aid, and
dispensing health care.
We would evidently look favourably
upon any sort of intervention that regional
actors or others might take if it helps
alleviate the humanitarian suffering.
If the UN decided that military
intervention was warranted, I know our
government would take a serious look at
contributing.
I’m not
sure whether any of you have heard of it,
but the government of Canada sponsored a
study about 2 years ago entitled “The
Responsibility to Protect” which outlined
the conditions necessary for the right of
humanitarian intervention; in other words,
when if ever, it is appropriate to take
coercive steps against another state for the
purpose of protecting people at risk in that
state; people whose human rights are being
wantonly trampled.
Conditions identified include:
legitimate authority, cause, and intention;
ensuring the use of military force is the
last resort; that the means used are
proportional; and that there is a reasonable
chance of success.
I don’t
know that we can say for sure that in
Liberia all these conditions have been met.
Nevertheless, given the long
suffering of Liberia’s people – I think
there is a compelling case to be made to
take coercive action to end this suffering.
Thank you again for the
invitation.
I hope everyone has a wonderful
evening.
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