Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has been under fire for failing to respond to Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report, despite assurances that he would.
The report, which was released in December 2011, has already been criticised by both the Canadian and British governments, as well as facing further condemnation from human rights groups.
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, cited the Australian government’s collaboration with Sri Lanka over asylum seekers fleeing the island towards Australia as a possible reason for the delaying, telling reporters in Canberra,
"Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has waived aside growing international concern about Sri Lankan war crimes for months citing the need to wait for the LLRC report."
"It is almost two months since the LLRC report was released, yet Mr Rudd remains tight-lipped."
"War crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in our region, and we have a responsibility to speak out against it and ensure those that were responsible are held to account."
However, a spokesperson for the Minister’s office said that the government would "make its views known shortly" and stated,
"The government has consistently urged Sri Lanka to investigate all allegations of crimes committed by both sides to the conflict."
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