In a damning op-ed entitled ‘Let the U.N Unmask the Criminals of Sri Lanka’s War’, published in the New York Times, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and current president of the International Crisis Group (ICG), Louise Arbour, reiterated the need for international intervention to ensure peace and reconciliation on the island of Sri Lanka.
Calling for an international commission of inquiry into war crimes of the Sri Lankan government she said,
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Calling for an international commission of inquiry into war crimes of the Sri Lankan government she said,
“No one has been held accountable for these crimes, and even now the government in Colombo remains intent on burying the past. Only an international commission of inquiry stands any chance of rectifying this omission.”Highlighting that "the predominantly Tamil northern province has been under de-facto military occupation with widespread reports of serious rights violations against the civilian population", she drew upon findings from the ICG and stated,
“the government’s post-war policies have entrenched an increasingly authoritarian regime in Colombo, deepened the rift between Tamils and Sinhalese, and drawn dangerous new lines of ethnic and religious conflict.”Arbour further highlighted that an international inquiry was only a small step towards solving the problem, outlining,
“increased authoritarianism, Sinhalese ethnic triumphalism and simmering Tamil resentment are clearly not ingredients for a secure future.”Further reiterating the need to make sure strong action was taken at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council session, she said,
“The costs of doing something now would be very small compared with the years of strife that would be the likely results of letting impunity win in Sri Lanka.”
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