UN rights council should launch inquiry-HRW

20 February 2013 01:47 am - 19 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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At its March 2013 session, the United Nations Human Rights Council should authorize an independent, international investigation into war crimes committed during the final months of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to council members today.

Since the council adopted a resolution on Sri Lanka at its March 2012 session calling for action, the Sri Lankan government has taken no significant steps to provide justice for victims of abuse and accountability for those responsible.

“Over the past year the Sri Lankan government has alternated between threatening activists who seek justice and making small, cynical gestures to keep the international community at bay,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Human Rights Council should dismiss these tactics, end the delays and authorize an independent, international investigation into the estimated 40,000 civilian deaths at the conflict’s end.”

On February 11, 2013, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a highly critical reporton the Sri Lankan government’s failure to provide justice and accountability and urged “an independent and credible international investigation into alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.”

Human Rights Watch called on Human Rights Council members to support a resolution that would establish an international investigation under the high commissioner’s office.

Several independent institutions, including the United Nations Panel of Experts in its April 2011 report,Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group, and others have reported numerous credible allegations of war crimes and other serious human rights abuses committed by government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the armed conflict that ended in 2009. However, the government has taken no significant steps to undertake impartial and credible investigations of these alleged violations. The authorities have not reported any criminal prosecutions for serious rights abuses committed during the final years of the conflict. Indeed, thus far impunity for these abuses has been total. Most disturbingly, an army court of inquiry set up by the government to look into these allegations issued a report on February 15, fully exonerating the army from any liability for civilian casualties.

On top of the government’s failings on justice and accountability, the human rights situation in Sri Lanka has deteriorated since the March 2012 Human Rights Council session, Human Rights Watch said. The administration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has increased its control over the legislative and judicial branches of government and decreased democratic space. In late 2012, the government effectively eliminated the independence of the Supreme Court by orchestrating the impeachment of the chief justice after she ruled a government-sponsored bill to be unconstitutional. Rajapaksa quickly installed a political ally with a long record of rejecting accountability for conflict abuses as the new chief justice.

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Comments - 19

singing fish Wednesday, 20 February 2013 06:22 AM

Peace without justice is never and ever possible.

Nodrog Wednesday, 20 February 2013 06:21 AM

We may have issues but doesn't it bother you that only we are being singled out for war crimes?? Allow your colonial mentality to go beyond thinking that what the white man does is always right. Its only the tamils who are restless but only because their hero was killed.

kumar Wednesday, 20 February 2013 06:46 AM

He do watch other news and knew that his comments are rubbish but trying to wash the blood stains of his clan.

Nodrog Wednesday, 20 February 2013 02:34 AM

Their recommendation would be more genuine if they had included other nations also involved in HR violations or is the focus only on smaller and weaker nations?

Fazli Wednesday, 20 February 2013 02:40 AM

Where these are going to take us to !

Shandy Wednesday, 20 February 2013 02:43 AM

UNHCR has no teeth, thats the way the US wants it othersiwe Israel would be in big trouble without US veto power.
Sri Lanka has nothing to fear of UNHRC..

Shandy Wednesday, 20 February 2013 07:00 AM

That was UN Security Council where our friends china and Russia has veto power, but UNHCR is toothless.

godofwar Wednesday, 20 February 2013 07:06 AM

yes yes hurry hurry hurry.

GOBI Wednesday, 20 February 2013 07:32 AM

He is reading daily mirror too and trying to cover up criminals who rule the country. But everything comes to light soon and there are enough space in Hague,

GOBI Wednesday, 20 February 2013 07:33 AM

Hague

asha Wednesday, 20 February 2013 11:10 AM

if our body is dirty it should be we should clean it. We cannot say that since the other person is also dirty, no one should talk about us. Why should we say about war crimes of irag or india or any country and escape. We should prosecute them and ern the confidence of all tamil who are also citizen of SL. By hiding and covering and pointing fingers at others it will only alienate our country from other and our own people. We should speech out what is right and what is wrong.

Chamini Wednesday, 20 February 2013 04:08 AM

We have a major issue in Sri Lanka..this has to be fixed and all the Perpetrators must get punished...don't just keep comparing other countries...we have major problem..people are restless since the war...thousands dead..parents searching for their loved ones....children searching for their parents..we need an answer..we need justice then only peace and reconciliation will start.

Sana Wednesday, 20 February 2013 04:19 AM

Recommendation is genuine or not, is SL clean?

Kondebendapucheena Wednesday, 20 February 2013 08:22 AM

Kabaragaoya Kanna hithunama Thalagoya wenawa kiyanne mewata thamai

buffaloa citizen Wednesday, 20 February 2013 04:42 AM

Typical southern moron...this guy is the type who can listen to the bullshit of Hudson Samarasinghe 24 hours and watch only ITN and Rupavahini.

RamUK Wednesday, 20 February 2013 08:52 AM

If you are small and weak behave like weak one and do the right things ...implement something ...do not try to suppress the minority ..

mail_guy Wednesday, 20 February 2013 05:13 AM

Sri Lanka has nothing to fear of UNHRC? Please don't tell any jokes here.

Dummy Wednesday, 20 February 2013 05:16 AM

It's sad HRW & UNHCR forgot the human rights when LTTE is controlling Jaffna with a iron hand while killing 1000's of civilians in the south. Hope UNHCR will do the same for Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan & America. If US has the right to kill any terrorist which they think is a threat to National Security, so do Sri Lanka.

MountainLion Wednesday, 20 February 2013 05:22 AM

Oops, forgotten what happened to Gaddafi and sons.

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UN rights council should launch inquiry-HRW

Comments - 19

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