Commonwealth leaders, mainly from former British colonies, gathered for a three-day summit with the Queen of England opening the meeting. The group, which represents 30 percent of the world's population and five G20 economies, is facing pressure to address human rights abuses among its members or risk losing its relevance. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard emphasized the importance of member nations upholding the group's values during her address at the summit. The ongoing discussion has primarily centered on Sri Lanka and the international request for an impartial investigation into allegations of war crimes during its 25-year civil war, particularly in the final months of 2009. Sri Lanka has stated that it will await the findings of its own inquiry next month, dismissing the pressure on human rights as a propaganda campaign by the defeated Tamil Tigers. A senior Commonwealth official mentioned that foreign ministers were unable to reach a consensus on a crucial recommendation from an "eminent persons" report suggesting the appointment of a rights commissioner. Canada, which has a significant Tamil population, has declared that it will boycott the 2013 Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka unless the host country improves its human rights record. Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Deputy Director, Madhu Malhotra, warned that Commonwealth leaders must decide whether to reform the organization to effectively address human rights abuses by its members or risk losing relevance. British Prime Minister David Cameron rejected the idea that the Commonwealth was no longer valuable, emphasizing its importance as a network of 54 countries across six continents that promotes human rights, democracy, and freedom. Aboriginal people performed a cleansing ceremony at the opening ceremony in Perth, welcoming the leaders to their traditional land. Aborigines view the British white settlement of Australia as an invasion, as demonstrated by about 500 people protesting in Perth. The protesters were kept away from leaders by a large police presence in the central business district, which is dominated by office blocks of mining companies. Smaller countries within the group, many vulnerable to global warming, are urging for a strong statement at the upcoming climate change summit in Durban. There are also calls for leaders to address the issue of child brides, with twelve of the top 20 countries with the highest rates of child brides being in the Commonwealth. Health advocates argue that laws criminalizing homosexuality in 41 Commonwealth states violate human rights and impede efforts to combat HIV-AIDS, as these states account for 60 percent of the global HIV-AIDS population.