Govt rejects Pillay’s call for probe

5 March 2010 06:04 am - 16 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Roel Raymond.

The government today rejected a fresh call by UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay for an investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, saying that Pillay should respect the decision made by the inter-governmental UN Human Rights Council last year.

Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe speaking to Daily Mirror Online said that Pillay should refrain from expressing the sentiments of ‘selected geographical regions’ and ‘certain economic blocs’ and comply with the decision made by the council in Sri Lankan in relation to the allegations.

Pillay yesterday had renewed her call for an independent investigation into war crimes allegations in Sri Lanka stating that human rights abuses in the country were damaging prospects of reconciliation after 25 years of the civil war.

“I am convinced that Sri Lanka should undertake a full reckoning of the grave violations committed by all sides during the war, and that the international community can be helpful in this regard,” she said in a speech presenting her annual report at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.

Serious allegations of war crimes and human rights abuses committed by all sides to the war had surfaced with the culmination of the 30 year war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May of 2009 but were successfully deflected by the government of Sri Lanka.

The attempt to obtain a UN resolution to set up a special investigation into human rights violations in Sri Lanka was fended off at a special session held in May of last year, in which the Council passed verdict to defeat the passage of resolution, with the support of a majority of countries in the UN Human Rights Council.

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Comments - 16

Friday, 05 March 2010 08:05 AM

Good on you Minister Samarasinghe! This lady is adamant to have her way. I think there is a SERIOUS conflict of interest with this particular lady demanding what she has been demanding given her ethnic origins.

Friday, 05 March 2010 08:29 AM

Un is the global boy every one wants to count on.
But from the very beginning UN has been giving room for certain geographical sentiments as mr. samarasignhe had stated due the political and financial pressure which UN experience.

Friday, 05 March 2010 08:42 AM

GREAT REPLY SIR.............WELL SAID for women who's pro-terrorist.....

Friday, 05 March 2010 08:59 AM

we need chinese military bases in sri lankan soil

Friday, 05 March 2010 09:00 AM

Naveen Pillai was one time a pro-LTTE in South Africa and she contnues the same role in the UN. Let her first investigate war crimes by UK, USA and the NATO countries in Iraq & Afghanistan before she pokes her finger into Sri Lanka. She just can't get over the humiliation defeat at the last UN Human Rights Council.

Friday, 05 March 2010 01:51 PM

rejection of an inquiry against accussed war crime is a proof that crime has been committed. What else we need. Now it is up to the world to take action who committed war crimes.

Friday, 05 March 2010 02:22 PM

Britain and the US are the biggest War Criminals go sort them out first

Friday, 05 March 2010 02:24 PM

Mr. Minister Samarasinghe, if noting serious(war crime) happened why we don't let UN to investigate?

Friday, 05 March 2010 02:49 PM

1. Her being a Tamil - conflict of interest
2. She can't respect the ruling of the body that she represents...

Can somebody tell me how come she is still in the job?

Friday, 05 March 2010 04:59 PM

'Apita Kauda Baya ... Api Katada Baya'!

Friday, 05 March 2010 05:25 PM

Well, Pillay's request is reasonable ...

Friday, 05 March 2010 09:22 PM

Pro-LTTE Pillay has become a "pilliyak" to our country ...

Saturday, 06 March 2010 12:59 AM

Yes Minister you are right. Teach this lady a lesson. But sorry acccept your mistakes and crimes against Tamils.

Saturday, 06 March 2010 01:53 AM

what do you expect from a Tamil south african, next she will be asking for Elam in South Africa.

Saturday, 06 March 2010 02:31 AM

When yu commit sin, yu always want to hide it. If Sri Lankans hv not violated HR rights - why not go in for an investigation?

Saturday, 06 March 2010 02:33 AM

Mr.Samarasinghe doesn't konw how india,china & Russia played the major roll to stop the investigation levelled by Human Rights Council last year

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Govt rejects Pillay’s call for probe

Comments - 16

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