Pillay repeats call for probe

4 March 2010 12:18 pm - 34 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navi Pillay, today, once again repeated 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.

Last May, the council held a special session on Sri Lanka just after the end of the war against the LTTE, but the Sri Lankan government deflected criticism by introducing its own resolution praising its defeat of the Tigers, which was then passed, boosting the Colombo stock exchange.

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Comments - 34

Thursday, 04 March 2010 08:29 PM

Ms. Pillay, could you please define "independent"? It appears that whatever investigations by the EU, US or UK, should be "independent, credible & reliable"!

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:38 PM

Chris Silva, madam pillai is not a person like you who is plucking coconut and jack fruit (pol saha kos) to become bankrupt.

Think twice before uttering a word from your mouth or in writing. Communalism and colourism should not exists in this world anymore since more and more educated sri lankans are living abroad.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:51 PM

A culture of accountability doesn't exist in this country. Indeed, I have the horrid suspicion that the majority may prefer to overlook any massacres and human rights violations as long as it's the Tamils who are affected.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:51 PM

Ms. Pillay, why don't you first call for prob against Israel for HR violations in West Bank Gaza and the leatest incident of killing a Hamas leader in Dubai? and why not recent civilian deaths in Mahja by NATO air strikes.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:52 PM

With so many powerful individuals & powerful nations such as the US, Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Norway, etc., who are highly influenced by the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora, how in the world can we ever expect an independent
investigation that Ms Pillay is calling for? It is a typical scenario wherein the drug cartel is appointed to police the drug dealer.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 07:11 PM

If the Sri Lankan governemnt did not do anything wrong, during the last stages of the war, then they should allow the UN to investigate! Why is the Sri Lankan governemnt so 'scared'?

Thursday, 04 March 2010 07:20 PM

Mrs. Pillay, well said!

Thursday, 04 March 2010 07:21 PM

Hey Asfar, if you say "LONG LIVE THE ARMED FORCES WHO LIBERATED OUR MOTHERLAND FROM THE BLOODTHIRSTY TIGERS," then, what about SF, who is in government custody?

Thursday, 04 March 2010 07:28 PM

Surely, it would be more impartial than the government's proceeding with such an investigation ...

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:38 PM

Thanks madam pull all culprits to court and punish them we counting that day ..

Thursday, 04 March 2010 08:38 PM

Pillay ... you want a problem?

Thursday, 04 March 2010 09:35 PM

Ms. Pillai, you are doing the right thing. Why can't the GOSL agree to this, and clear their name. If MR is not involved & GR is not involved, then why should we be scared?

Thursday, 04 March 2010 11:58 PM

Pillai is an ethnic Tamilian and is biased in her assessment. She should be removed from her post. Hope the Sri Lankan government and other friendly countries, take-up this matter with the UN.

Friday, 05 March 2010 08:51 AM

Until 1994, Mrs Pillay, a South African of Tamil origin, was denied the vote (whic Sri Lankans take for granted) under the apartheid laws. She is from a seriously disadvantaged background, and here you have people questioning her credentials and credibility. She is the first woman Nelson Mandela appointed to the bench in South Africa in 1994.

Friday, 05 March 2010 04:35 PM

Thanks!

Friday, 05 March 2010 05:03 PM

Persons who talk about the Human Rights of Terrorists are .....?

Friday, 05 March 2010 07:29 PM

Let us resolve to bring-out everything, into the open, and ensure that it does not ever happen again! If we cannot do it ourseelves, then, we should have someone else do it for us. If we don't, then we allow someone else to prosecute our citizens in other countries - just one person may face charges in no less than 10 different countries.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:58 PM

may be what hpnd. in aigeria around 50 s or indo chine in after, why you are not talking about uganda a. you are schame.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:34 PM

Thank you Ms Pillay.
Despite repeated warnings by several international organizations of impending mass killings of civilians and despite strong statements of concern by several other world leaders, more than 20,000 civilians are reported to have been killed. The Times of London and Le Monde have published investigations, based on reliable data, and suggested that most of the civilian deaths were caused as a result of shelling by the Sri Lankan government. Thousands more were injured and the International Committee of the Red Cross was prevented by the Sri Lankan government for providing medical assistance resulting in many more civilian deaths.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:35 PM

Maybe an investigation on the US troops in Afghanistan would also be nice? Just a suggestion..

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:45 PM

All sides? where is LTTE now? who is representing LTTE? is that you?

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:45 PM

This Pillai is bankcrupt so long as she does not ask for simmilar in Iraq,Afghanistan.
Expect more from her and other terrorist lovers as we get closer to 19 May.
Expect more noise from GTF as they continue to oil the west.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:47 PM

Wasn't the call for a probe last June was soundly defeated at the Apex body of the HRC at the UN? Isn't this lady the head of that body. Where do in World bodies such as the UN re-visit a motion again and again? Only in her dreams.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:47 PM

Complete the ones you started and go down the list before coming to Sri lanka. This women should go do her dishes rather than meddling in matters beyond her intelligence.But again money talks so she must be belonging to the oldest profession funded and operated by the so called non violent tamil diaspora.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:51 PM

WHY CANT PILLAY DO SOMETHING TO PUNISH THE TIGERS WHO KILLED THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR DECADES AND NOW LIVING IN THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND IN THE USA RIGHT UNDER HER NOSE? I DONT REALLY CARE PILLAY. WHAT I CARE IS NOW MY WIFE AND KIDS ARE LIVING IN KANDY PEACEFULLY KNOWING VERY WELL NO TIGER TERRORIST CAN HARM ME. SORRY PILLAY. YOU CANT PLAY WITH US. LONG LIVE SRI LANKA. LONG LIVE THE ARMED FORCES WHO LIBERATED OUR MOTHERLAND FROM THE BLOODTHIRSTY TIGERS.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:52 PM

Tamils are busy contesting first free elections in 30 plus years and Pillai is still at it.Some diaspora tamils dont like to know that life is getting back to normal in N & E.
President asked a IT engineer to contest north and he is doing so under UPFA (Ankajan Ramanathan)
Tamils want development and Lanka tamils dont see eye to eye with their overseas cousins-unlike before.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:28 PM

Every action has reaction.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:00 PM

Vani UK, I'm coming for you !!

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:01 PM

people who incharge for genocide should be brought to justice.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:07 PM

Mr. Vani Kumar, "Based on reliable data"?? ABSOLUTE RUBBISH! Everybody were complaining that "independent" journalists were not allowed to visit the war zones. So the only data available was BLATANT LTTE PROPAGANDA. For example, remember the forged letters published by TamilNet and how they got completely muddled up trying to correct the Sinhalese words they forged??

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:14 PM

Please do not quote Times of London which has now damaged its credibility of its by partisan and one sided story. I am not aware of what the Le Monde is about.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:16 PM

Well Said.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:19 PM

First it sounds like kith and Kin and money matters always. If international community need to achieve peace thru UN, there has to a solution to figure heads of this nature who talk with hidden agenda and bought over by blood money.

Whole world knows who did what and host aging 600K innocent Tamils one a single person's protection.

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:28 PM

This good woman is calling for an 'independent investigation' into alleged war crimes - from where are you going to get independent ingestigators? - committed by 'all sides' Who are these 'all sides' The LTTE us certainly no more, so, that means the investigation will have to be directed only at the GOSL. Clever, eh?

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Pillay repeats call for probe

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