Human Rights Organization Shocked at Canada’s Direction

August 23, 2001

For Immediate Release

Shock, sadness, and anger characterize the reaction of Jewish Canadians to the support Canada is offering to Syria’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council. Syria does not in any way meet the UN criteria for membership in the Security Council. According to the UN’s criteria, candidates must make a “contribution … to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the Organization.” B’nai Brith Canada asks Prime Minister Chretien and Foreign Minister Manley: Does a country which is on the US watch list for its support of terrorism, which supplies and supports Hezbollah attacks on UN recognized borders, and which has demonstrated utter disregard for human rights within its own borders qualify for the Security Council by the standards of the UN? Does it qualify by the standards of the citizens of Canada?

Rochelle Wilner, National President of B’nai Brith Canada, expressed the organization's dismay. “Canada, ostensibly a bastion of human rights and democratic values, has lent its support to a regime which killed over 20,000 of its own people in the city of Hama because of their political dissent. Syria is a nation that has exploited, repressed, and dominated its neighbor Lebanon for the past 25 years. Syria’s government is one whose ministers have authored and published the worst kinds of blood libels and anti-Semitic tracts, and they are led by a President who repeats the scurrilous Christ-killer charge in front of the Pope. This is indeed a sad day for Canada.”

Frank Dimant, Executive Vice President of B’nai Brith Canada, sees a disturbing trend. “A number of weeks ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to open an embassy in Libya. Now it is supporting the candidacy of a wholesale human rights abuser, a terrorist state. One has to question the logic guiding Canada’s foreign policy.”

Amos Sochaczevski, National Chair of the B’nai Brith Institute for International Affairs, commented “Lester Pearson, a former Liberal Prime Minister, and an architect of the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions, would be appalled at Canada’s support for such a candidacy. It goes against the very fabric of Canadian culture to advocate for such a regime. We are calling on the NGO Human Rights community to raise their voices in opposition to Canada’s support of this ludicrous idea.”

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B’nai Brith has been active since 1875 as the country's senior advocacy and volunteer agency. Its Institute for International Affairs was established to monitor human rights issues worldwide, and covers the issues of Nazi war criminals within its mandate.

For more information, please contact:
Rochelle Wilner or Frank Dimant at (416) 633-6224