An international inquiry to investigate rights violations in Sri Lanka is needed deemed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, whilst highlighting the lack of political will in Sri Lanka to work towards truth and justice.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report which was leaked by a Sri Lankan paper today, outlined that the lack of truth and justice in Sri Lanka was not question of time or capacity but rather "political will" and called for an “ international inquiry mechanism to further investigate alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and monitor any domestic accountability process.”Along with 12 recommendations for Sri Lanka, the UN human rights commissioner, Navi Pillay, in her report concluded,
“New- evidence including witness testimony, video and photographic material – continues to emerge on what took place in the final stages of the armed conflict. Human remains also continue to be discovered, for instance in Matale in November 2012 and Mannar in December 2013.”“As the emblematic cases highlighted above show, national mechanisms have consistently failed to establish the truth and achieve justice. The High Commissioner believes this can no longer be explained as a function of time or technical capacity, but that it is fundamentally a question of political will.”
Pillay also reiterated her concern over Sri Lanka’s failure to implement previous UNHRC recommendations and the continuing “trend of attacks on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, particularly against human rights defenders, journalists and families of victims; the rising levels of religious intolerances; and continued militarisation which continues to undermine the environment where accountability and reconciliation can be achieved.”
The report further called on Sri Lanka to demilitarise the North-East, remove the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), crack down on impunity for rights violations and establish an internationally assisted investigation into mass graves. See below for extracts from the UN Human Right's Chief's recommendations.
"Take further steps in demilitarisation, and initiate meaningful and transparent reduction of the military presence to peacetime levels, which would require a clear timeline for demobilisation, disarmament and disengagement from activities that are meant to be civilian."
"Repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and lift regulations promulgated under it which allows for arbitrary detention."
"Undertake independent and credible criminal and forensic investigations with international assistance into all alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including recently discovered mass graves"
"Arrest prosecute and punish alleged perpetrators of attacks on minority communities, media and human rights defenders and ensure protection of victims."
"Invite special procedure mandate holders with outstanding requests to visit the country in 2014, particularly the Working group on Enforced Disappearances and the Independent Expert on Minority Issues."
See our editorial:
Reckoning must begin (10 Feb 2014)
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