• No decision yet on repatriation of remains
• No formal representation from Sri Lanka

In the aftermath of a series of brutal killings of six Sri Lankans in Ottawa, Canada on Wednesday (6), the Foreign Affairs Ministry has confirmed that the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa is actively engaged in coordinating with the next of kin of the deceased families and the Sri Lankan community residing there to provide necessary support and assistance.

A Foreign Ministry official stated that, as of Friday (8) evening, the High Commission had established contact with the next of kin of victims involved in the tragic incident. 

It said it was actively coordinating with the Sri Lankan community in Ottawa, providing support and assistance during this difficult time.

Regarding the repatriation of the remains of the deceased, the official said that as of yesterday (9), there had been no confirmation on whether the bodies would be repatriated. 

If a decision is made in this regard, the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Affairs Ministry will facilitate the necessary procedures.

In response to queries about whether Sri Lanka would make a formal representation in connection to the incident, the official indicated that such a measure would not be necessary due to the nature of the alleged criminal activity and jurisdictional issues surrounding the case. 

The official further noted that relevant information regarding the deceased and the convict would have already been cleared with Canadian immigration.

Meanwhile, a press release issued yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the High Commission officials had visited the surviving father and husband of the victims at the hospital.

The ministry said it was in communication with family members in Sri Lanka and was facilitating their requests with the relevant Canadian authorities through the Sri Lankan High Commission while respecting their privacy.

A vigil in memory of the victims has been arranged at the crime scene and the City Councillor had scheduled a special vigil yesterday. 

The ministry said the funeral rites would be conducted according to the wishes of the victims’ families in due course following the release of the human remains after autopsy.

“The Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with the High Commission in Ottawa to undertake all necessary measures to assist the families of the victims in fulfilling necessary formalities,” it further stated.

A 19-year-old Sri Lankan student faces allegations of six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder over the incident. 

Febrio de Zoysa, a student attending classes at Algonquin College, was arrested on sight on Wednesday, following the murder in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven.

On Thursday (7), Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs told the media: “At about 10.52 p.m. yesterday, the Ottawa Police Service received two 911 calls from the Berrigan Drive area, reporting a suspicious incident where a male was yelling and asking people to call 911.” 

He revealed that when officers had entered the home to check on those inside, they had found the victims. Ottawa Police had further confirmed that this incident was not a mass shooting but a mass killing, as investigations found that an ‘edged weapon’ had been used to cause the deaths and injuries.

Five of the victims were identified as part of a family of six who were newcomers to Canada from Sri Lanka. Out of the Wickramasinghe family, consisting of four children and their parents, five had been murdered – the youngest being two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe. 

The father, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, has been hospitalised with serious injuries. 

The sixth victim was identified as 40-year-old Amarakoon Mudiyanselage Gamini Amarakoon, a family friend. 

Police said de Zoysa had been living in the home at the time of the murder and was an acquaintance of the family.