In a statement released this week, Human Rights Watch has called upon the Commonwealth not to award Sri Lanka with chairmanship of the organisation, stating it would be the 'height of hypocrisy'.
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, stated,
Adams went on to add,
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, stated,
“It’s bad enough that the Commonwealth has allowed a government accused of massive rights abuses and war crimes to host its summit,”Stating the Commonwealth risks "major embarrassment" by going to Colombo, HRW also referred to UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay's report on Sri Lanka, highlighting the failure to investigate allegations of war crimes.
“But to effectively put the Commonwealth in the hands of an unrepentant government that doesn’t meet the Commonwealth’s official values on democracy or human rights would be the height of hypocrisy.”
Adams went on to add,
“The Commonwealth can be an agent for improved human rights protections and justice in Sri Lanka, or it can risk becoming a propaganda vehicle for an abusive government,”
“The meeting of the Committee of the Whole is a chance for the Commonwealth to show that its stated principles actually mean something”.