The Australian Senate rejected Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s stance on Sri Lanka, calling for an independent investigation into allegations of human rights and international law violations, Thursday.
Disputing Abbotts comments on human rights issue in Sri Lanka, the Greens Senator, Lee Rhiannon, said, “Tony Abbot’s public comments that human rights abuses in Sri Lanka comes second to his inhumane domestic policies about so called ‘boat people’ are disgraceful”
Drawing upon her visit to Sri Lanka, she outlined,
“While in Sri Lanka last weekend, I found the on-going abuses of human and legal rights are so serious that Tony Abbott should have followed the lead of the Canadian, Indian and Mauritius Prime Ministers and boycotted CHOGM.”
“The Australian Senate has now passed a Greens motion calling on the Prime Minister to act while is at CHOGM and raise the issue of an independent investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law with the President of Sri Lanka.”
“Tony Abbott needs to listen to the Australian Parliament, and commit to at least fulfilling the basic request.”
Highlighting further calls for an independent investigation into war crimes, Rhiannon noted,
“British Prime Minister David Cameron has publicly stated he will be meeting with the Sri Lankan President and calling for a full independent investigation into alleged war crimes. Tony Abbott has no excuse to ignore this call from the Senate.”
The Senate motion is reproduced below:
Disputing Abbotts comments on human rights issue in Sri Lanka, the Greens Senator, Lee Rhiannon, said, “Tony Abbot’s public comments that human rights abuses in Sri Lanka comes second to his inhumane domestic policies about so called ‘boat people’ are disgraceful”
Drawing upon her visit to Sri Lanka, she outlined,
“While in Sri Lanka last weekend, I found the on-going abuses of human and legal rights are so serious that Tony Abbott should have followed the lead of the Canadian, Indian and Mauritius Prime Ministers and boycotted CHOGM.”
“The Australian Senate has now passed a Greens motion calling on the Prime Minister to act while is at CHOGM and raise the issue of an independent investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law with the President of Sri Lanka.”
“Tony Abbott needs to listen to the Australian Parliament, and commit to at least fulfilling the basic request.”
Highlighting further calls for an independent investigation into war crimes, Rhiannon noted,
“British Prime Minister David Cameron has publicly stated he will be meeting with the Sri Lankan President and calling for a full independent investigation into alleged war crimes. Tony Abbott has no excuse to ignore this call from the Senate.”
The Senate motion is reproduced below:
The Senate calls on Prime Minister Abbott to:
To raise the matter of an independent investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law with the President of Si Lanka at the 2013 Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting in Colombo.