- Franco Pillarella
Franco D. Pillarella is a Canadian career diplomat and the current Canadian ambassador to
Romania ,Bulgaria , andMoldova . He is currently famous chiefly for his testimony into the deportation and imprisonment ofMaher Arar , which occurred during his tenure as Canadian ambassador toSyria .Early life and career
Pillarella earned a B.A. from the
University of Ottawa , in1963 ; he went on to obtain an LL.B from the same institution in1966 and was called to the Quebec Bar in1967 . He joined the Foreign Service later that year.He has served abroad in
Bonn ,Milan ,Rome ,Algiers ,The Hague and, from1988 to1992 , as Consul-General inBerlin .In Ottawa, he held a number of positions, including Director, Human Rights and Social Affairs Division, and Director, Foreign Intelligence Division. Since 1997, he has served as ambassador to
Algeria .On
July 27 ,2000 Pillarella was appointed ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic with concurrent accreditation as High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus.As of
June 2005 , he is testifying in Ottawa at the inquiry looking into the arrest and deportation ofMaher Arar to Syria in the fall of 2002.Testimony at Arar Inquiry
During his
June 15 ,2005 testimony at the inquiry intoMaher Arar 's deportation and imprisonment, Pillarella claimed he had no conclusive reason to believe Arar was being tortured, and admitted to accepting the word of Syrian officials that he was not.He further claimed that he had no reason to think that human rights abuses were occurring in Syria during his term as ambassador, claiming that "I did not have any indication that there were serious human rights abuses committed, that I could verify."
These statements prompted widespread shock and incredulity in Canadian media.
Paul Heinbecker , former Canadian ambassador to theUnited Nations , stated that Syria's human rights abuses were well known and well documented by many sources.ee also
*
Extraordinary rendition References
* [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/15/arar050615.html Arar inquiry told Canadians were 'beggars, not choosers'] , "
CBC News ",15 June 2005
* [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/16/arar050616.html Sharp rebuke for ambassador at Arar inquiry] , "CBC News ",16 June 2005 External links
* [http://www.ararcommission.ca/index.htm Government of Canada - Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar]
* [http://www.maherarar.ca/ Maher Arar's official site ]
* [http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadaeuropa/romania/menu-en.asp?act=v&mid=36&cat=705&did=2588 Official Government of Canada message to Romania]
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