20 December 2011 03:11 am
“We have concerns that the report, nonetheless, does not fully address all the allegations of serious human rights violations that occurred in the final phase of the conflict,” US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.
She further stated that this left questions of accountability unanswered. “This leaves questions about accountability and – for those allegations, and so we urge the Sri Lankan Government not only to fulfil all of the recommendations of the report as it stands, but also to address those issues that the report did not cover,” she said.
Nuland also appreciated the work of the commission and stated that the State Department was still studying the report. “We appreciate the important work of the Sri Lankan Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission. The Commission has addressed a number of the crucial areas of concern to Sri Lankans. In particular, the report recognises and makes substantive recommendations in the areas of reconciliation, devolution of authority, de-militarisation, rule of law, media freedom, disappearances, human rights violations,” she said. (DS)