Canada Minister (of Tamil Eelam origin) arrested by Sri Lanka Police at Sri Lanka 20140101 Rathika Sitsabaiesan not under house arrest in Sri Lanka, Canadian officials say Reports by media in Sri Lanka that NDP MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan is under house arrest in the island country are "false," according to the Canadian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan media had reported late Tuesday night that the Scarborough-Rouge River MP was on a fact-finding mission in the country and was placed under house arrest. But Canadian government officials say that's not the case. On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs spokesman John Babcock said officials at the Canadian High Commission informed him that commission officials have spoken with Sitsabaiesan, "and she has confirmed her well-being to them." "The High Commission remains in close touch with her to ensure she receives whatever assistance is required," he said in an email statement. "The Canadian High Commission has also spoken with relevant Sri Lankan police and immigration authorities all of whom have advised us that at this time they have no arrest warrant." Canadian officials in Ottawa have also spoken to the Sri Lankan high commissioner to Canada, who has been in contact with her authorities in Sri Lanka and confirmed that media reports of a house arrest are "false." Earlier, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Lynne Yelich tweeted that the Foreign Affairs Department in Ottawa was told by Sri Lankan officials that no arrest warrant had been issued for Sitsabaiesan. The editor of the Colombo Gazette, Eswaran Rutnam, also told CBC News that no warrant was issued. Local police and military officials denied that Sitsabaiesan is under house arrest or that there are any restrictions on her movement, he said. On Wednesday morning, Sitsabaiesan's sister, Meerra Sitsabaiesan, said the last time she spoke to her was early Tuesday, and things were fine. "She's been visiting different towns where we grew up and visiting different temples," Meerra Sitsabaiesan said. Sitsabaiesan is in Sri Lanka on a tourist visa and had told politicians she met with that she did not want any publicity for her trip. Sitsabaiesan, 32, and her family immigrated to Canada when she was five years old. In 2011, she was elected to the House of Commons. She has been a fierce critic of the Sri Lankan government.

• published: 01 Jan 2014
• views: 129