The House of Lords on Wednesday discussed how the British government intended to resolve the dispute between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil community.
Responding to a question on the suitability of a domestic inquiry in Sri Lanka that was raised by the Conservative party’s Lord Sheikh, baroness Warsi, highlighting that the lack of progress towards accountability and justice in Sri Lanka was due to a lack of political will, said,
Responding to a question on the suitability of a domestic inquiry in Sri Lanka that was raised by the Conservative party’s Lord Sheikh, baroness Warsi, highlighting that the lack of progress towards accountability and justice in Sri Lanka was due to a lack of political will, said,
“This is despite the UK and others calling for such an investigation since 2009. As a result, the UN Human Rights Council has passed a resolution that establishes an international investigation, which we strongly support.”Responding to Conservative Lord Naseby’s criticisms that a UN inquiry imposed on Sri Lanka’s state sovereignty, Baroness Warsi, reiterated,
“ I hear what my noble friend says, but this conflict ended in May 2009, which is more than five years ago. The internal inquiry reported in March 2011. The Sri Lankans have had enough time to deal with this matter if they had showed the political will internally to do so. They have not dealt with it, which is why we have taken this matter to the international forum."Responding to concerns investigation raised by Labour’s party’s Lord Bach over Sri Lanka’s refusal to cooperate with the UN and recent anti-Muslim violence, Baroness Warsi, placing confidence in the appointed experts to lead the UN investigation said,
“We hope that, despite the Sri Lankan Government’s not co-operating, the committee will produce a good and strong international investigation. As for the recent tensions, of course we are concerned about the actions of Bodu Bala Sena. Our representatives at the British High Commission in Sri Lanka met with the group last year to raise our concerns in relation to the anti-Muslim violence. But they have met also, in relation to other minorities, with the Sri Lankan Government.”