Video: UN ‘deeply disturbed’ by SL shooting

17 February 2013 07:24 am - 53 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay tells Channel 4 News that she is ‘deeply disturbed’ by the shooting of a Sri Lankan journalist and calls on the Sri Lankan government to protect him.

In an exclusive interview with Channel 4 News, Navi Pillay urged the Sri Lankan government to "provide immediate protection" for Faraz Shaukatally, who is currently in intensive care after being shot by three unidentified gunmen on Friday night.

Ms Pillay said: "It's an act of attempted assassination so he needs to be protected immediately."

Mr Shauketaly, 52, who holds joint British and Sri Lankan citizenship, is a reporter for the Sri Lankan newspaper The Sunday Leader.

Ms Pillay said "I'm deeply disturbed by this particular shooting because it's a journalist and he's attached to a newspaper that's known to be critical of the government - particularly on accountability and in justice issues - which are issues that I cover. And I will be reporting to the Human Rights Council my concern over extra judicial killings, abductions and this kind of treatment and suppression of freedom of expression."

The newspaper's editor Sakunthala Perera said the journalist was shot while he was on the telephone discussing a story due to appear in this week's edition.

Police said three men broke into his house and opened fire on him while he was in his bedroom. The journalist, whose family live in Colywn Bay in Wales, was rushed to hospital with bullet wounds in his neck.

However, when asked about suggestions that the government could have been involved in the shooting, Ms Pillay told Channel 4 News: "That's why there has to be a proper investigation before we can conclude that. In the meantime it's law enforcement that has to provide him protection. And it would demonstrate on the part of the government that they care if one of their citizens is fired upon. Everybody should care (about) who are the people who are going around shooting other people. This is what law enforcement is about.

"The Sri Lankan government swears by the integrity of their army and their police, well it's time they demonstrated that. These institutions built into the democracy must now begin to work properly and this is an immediate instance where they can demonstrate that. "

She said Sri Lanka must provide a credible investigation involving the civil society, because "if it is done by the government or the police themselves they do not enjoy the confidence of the people at this stage."

She added that she was frustrated by the Sri Lankan government's lack of investigation, with offers of UN help, to establish what happened at the end of the country's civil conflict.

Criticism was also levelled at the UN which was in Sri Lanka at the time of the alleged atrocities and whose people were withdrawn.

She said: "I think that is deeply disturbing because it's a repetition of the criticism that was levelled against the United Nations during the Rwandan genocide and there was a report done after that with recommendations.

"Now, to the credit of the secretary general he set up the Petrie Commission to look at the UN's failures in handling the Sri Lankan conflict and I very much encouraged that, I've read the report and I'm urging now the United Nations to take steps to come up with action plans to implement those recommendations so that the United Nations doesn't repeat these kind of failures."

Related links

Attack on journalist:UK expresses shock & concern

MR orders immediate probe

Video: Sunday Leader journalist Faraz shot

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Comments - 53

gobi Sunday, 17 February 2013 04:50 PM

Slaughtering 40,000 to 100,000 civilians and worrying about child soldiers. What a concern...keep it up.

Saskia Sunday, 17 February 2013 05:12 PM

She did also criticized LTTE, you should read the news regularly, Why do you all link LTTE whenever SL get criticized?

Ravi Sunday, 17 February 2013 05:35 PM

It's time for UN to intervene sri Lanka like Libya, Egypt and Sudan.

Nishantha Sunday, 17 February 2013 05:56 PM

Go and hang Pillai.... If you are so keen on protecting Human Rights go and work in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Gaza or Central Africa.

Gobi Sunday, 17 February 2013 07:48 AM

this is the culture of SL. you need to learn to tolerate this kind of incidents. no point of condemning.

Bob Seygal Sunday, 17 February 2013 07:51 AM

This person was never disturbed when thousands of innocent Singhalese were killed by the defunct LTTE. She was silent. What a hypocratic...

Mukatiyaa Sunday, 17 February 2013 07:52 AM

Oh my god! We r in par with rwanda.
Where thou goeth nd where thou gone....

dreammotion Sunday, 17 February 2013 12:00 AM

is she a wife of prabahakaran? via DM Android App

DHA Sunday, 17 February 2013 08:10 AM

Thanks for the concern madam but then again madam Pak - 70 dead yesterday.......US - Women killed and burnt ......SA - Olympian kill his own girlfriend....guess these things slipped your eyes ???

RamUK Sunday, 17 February 2013 08:10 AM

Madam, enough you talking only. Do something or shut up.

VCK Sunday, 17 February 2013 08:25 AM

Many thanks to Channel 4 and Pillay.

Ram74 Sunday, 17 February 2013 08:57 AM

sorry y r u using my tag..typical of SLs ..

Kondebendapucheena Sunday, 17 February 2013 08:58 AM

Navi Pillay tells Channel 4 what a way to gather all the news against SL. keep going but you will not a chieve any thing against SL

Ram74 Sunday, 17 February 2013 09:02 AM

lovely ...video ..example world is global village..the new generation tamils in west ..well done way to go...

Lucky Weeramantry Sunday, 17 February 2013 09:22 AM

Pillay Is Worried For Nothing. This Is Normal Day To Day Life In Sri Lanka.

Lucky Weeramantry Sunday, 17 February 2013 09:26 AM

Pillay What Is The Remedy. Are Going To Stop Drinking Sri Lankan Tea.

Lucky Weeramantry Sunday, 17 February 2013 09:29 AM

Please Don't Accuse Anyone Till Investigations Are Over By Our New Found Judiciary

wandi Monday, 18 February 2013 12:00 AM

pille,don't interfere our things.don't you have any work than.... via DM Android App

aja Sunday, 17 February 2013 09:44 AM

Only statement? here we see many statement every month from govt and MR. but no investigation, no arrest, no justice. shame. why not UN TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS? thanks channel 4 and Navi pillai.

raa one Monday, 18 February 2013 12:00 AM

Madam Pillai, Please support the shooting, in order to enjoy Sri Lanka tea. via DM Android App

Kilan Sunday, 17 February 2013 10:10 AM

Bob Seygal, you are stupid

mdan Sunday, 17 February 2013 10:23 AM

Are you justifying Bob.. until people like you are at Sl.. sl will do wonders

lamaya Sunday, 17 February 2013 10:26 AM

This shooting only for un perpose only and who is shouting thay are behind this.

Ryan Monday, 18 February 2013 07:27 AM

Give evidence

tjeyar Monday, 18 February 2013 12:00 AM

hey bop seyal,could u tell me how many sinhala people were killed by ltte?which was bigger than Tamils killed number? via DM Android App

Mahi Seneviratne Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:04 AM

Mrs.Navy Pillai should also return to her home country and campaign against humanrights iolations and uncontrolled killings.

ind Monday, 18 February 2013 07:53 AM

Why you hurts ??

Ram74 Monday, 18 February 2013 07:53 AM

No...the mistress.

Nodrog Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:26 AM

Bob, a person as biased as Navi has to be disturbed and needs to be institutionalized.

Kondebandapucheena Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:29 AM

Here in Durban after 6 pm no body can go alone as ether you will get mugged or Car Jacked which is her home town.

ind Monday, 18 February 2013 07:59 AM

for the entertainment !! LOL

niroshana Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:34 AM

if the government doesn't conduct proper investigation over the shooting,killing means its welcome itself UN 2 interfering our issues

R Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:36 AM

Quite disturbing as to how quickly some Sri Lankans play down the fact that another human being was shot and rather to accuse people when they talk about it...?? Doesn’t make any sense...so what exactly is right then? Guess all of you must be reading the news and saying to yourself 'what to do' and turning on to the sports page….. Pathetic!

Lobo Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:45 AM

Fiction at its best. At least enjoy your promised land in this way if it makes you happy.

justin Monday, 18 February 2013 03:08 AM

crocodile tears. Aren't you concern what's happening in North Africa, Africa, Middle East and Latin America ?

ind Monday, 18 February 2013 08:02 AM

Don't tell lies. She didn't utter a word against LTTE. At that time she didn't know even where Sri Lanka is.

Nodrog Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:47 AM

always abusing sinhalese in general? signs of a conquered mentality still unable to swallow the bitter pill of defeat!

ind Monday, 18 February 2013 08:03 AM

Yeah, now Iraq, Libya are like heavens after their intervene !!

Nodrog Monday, 18 February 2013 08:00 AM

The UN in general and Navi in particular has proved beyond doubt they are biased against Sri lanka, probably acting on orders of those who pull the strings at the UN. By aligning herself with unethical C4 she exposes her double-standards by stooping to such levels to castigate us.

ind Monday, 18 February 2013 08:05 AM

Don you think government is stupid to shoot a media man at this time where HR session is at round the corner, EVEN IF THEY WANT TO KILL HIM ??

Nanda Iiyanage Sunday, 17 February 2013 12:08 PM

mrs Pillai born in Madras

Sajitha4usl Sunday, 17 February 2013 01:11 PM

If she was not a TAMIL funded years by LTTE we could have listen to her and beleive what she is telling.

1. Why didn't she say anything against LTTE when they were killing?
2. Why she did not criticize them for recruiting child soldiers?

Burul Monday, 18 February 2013 08:28 AM

this lady is biased for obvious reasons.. she's a bit mat too. needs to be in a place like angoda.

Banda Tuesday, 19 February 2013 12:33 PM

It is entertainment for you Ind because you haven't lost anybody in the last war. just writing comments for your time passing.......

kumar Monday, 18 February 2013 09:03 AM

Yes she is waiting for your advice!. Typical stupid answers by morons

Anvardeen Monday, 18 February 2013 09:14 AM

Navi! In SL NO RULE OF LAW.

RamUK Monday, 18 February 2013 09:38 AM

not abt the content just abt 2 ppl reached in global level...u dumbo

Ravi Seneviratne Monday, 18 February 2013 04:32 AM

This Government has created a enemy within for their own benefit for Intl community to point a figure at us . this is how freedom of speech is suppressed.

Saman Monday, 18 February 2013 04:36 AM

Exactly! When the Tigers were killing men, women and children in 1000s, where were you Navi? Navi Pillay and her war hungry diaspora supporters still find it hard to deal Velu's death.

Aney Machang Monday, 18 February 2013 04:36 AM

Such shootings have to be condemned in a civilized soceity regardless of who the victim is and proper investigation carried out immediately to establish the identity and motive of the shooting.

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Video: UN ‘deeply disturbed’ by SL shooting

Attack on journalist:UK expresses shock & concern

MR orders immediate probe

Comments - 53

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