International involvement is an essential requirement to deliver justice in Sri Lanka said Human Rights Watch, responding to Sri Lanka’s announcement of setting up a domestic inquiry into atrocities.
The HRW South Asia Director, Meenakshi Ganguly, speaking to Journalists for Democracy Sri Lanka (JDS), said,
“This government has repeatedly said that it is committed to justice. For that, there will be need for impartial, international participation. Sri Lanka has unfortunately a history of failed commissions through decades of conflict. Even families of those that disappeared during the days of the JVP violence are yet to know what happened to their loved ones.”
In a statement at the 29th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) earlier this week, Human Rights Watch, called on Sri Lanka to ensure that there were “genuine consultations with those affected by the violations,” and ensure “a majority of international judges” in any domestic process.
Stressing the need to make any justice process independent through international involvement, the statement called for Sri Lanka to establish,
“Independence of the process through a mechanism with a majority of international judges and prosecutors, take immediate steps towards resolving key outstanding issues, and keep its promise to the UN to fully cooperate with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and allow it full access to any new or additional information it may require.”
Sri Lanka will lead any investigation says foreign minister (19 Jun 2015)
Accountability process in Sri Lanka must be international, urges HRW(15 Jun 2015)
US calls on Sri Lanka to ‘ensure accountability and reconciliation’(15 Jun 2015)
Consult with victims to establish accountability mechanism by September – UN Human Rights Chief(15 Jun 2015)
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