Каморка

Sri Lanka denied entry Wednesday to a Canadian lawmaker who was outspoken in his criticism of the military's war against the Tamil Tiger rebels, a senior government official said.

Immigration Commissioner P. B. Abeykoon said parliamentarian Bob Rae of Canada's Liberal Party was briefly detained upon his arrival in the country and then forced to leave.

"We got information from the intelligence services that his visit to the country was not suitable," Abeykoon said.

Rae had called on Canada to be more outspoken in its criticism of Sri Lanka's recent offensive against the rebels, which left more than 7,000 civilians killed in the last months of fighting, according to the United Nations.

"Canada's absence and silence are a disgrace," he wrote on his blog on April 27, as the war entered its final weeks.

Local media reports accused Rae, a former premier of Ontario, of being linked to the Tamil Tigers.
Officials at the Canadian Embassy did not respond to calls for comment.