The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF), highlighting the Tamil peoples' lack of faith in Sri Lanka's domestic processes, urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, to release the findings of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation into Sri Lankan atrocities (OISL) without further delay, and initiate steps for international prosecution should people be found responsible for serious crimes.
In a letter to the UN rights chief, the TCSF spokespersons, Kumaravadivel Guruparan and Elil Rajendran, referring to a Northern Provincial Council resolution on the genocide of Tamil people, said,
“We wish to respectfully urge you not to take any promise for domestic investigations seriously, particularly in the absence of any concrete proposals that demonstrate such intentions. We also would kindly refer you to the resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council on the 10th February 2015 also expressing disbelief in the credibility of domestic mechanisms delivering on accountability, truth and justice.”
Noting a “lack of political will for accountability “ in Sri Lanka, whilst noting that “those present in the government who had no direct connection with the conduct of the war or with past administration narrowly conceive failure of the former government’s failure on the question of accountability as a mismanagement of foreign policy.”, the letter added that,
“Key figures in the new government including President Sirisena were an integral part of the former government under Mahinda Rajapaska and have maintained that the Sri Lankan armed forces fought a ‘clean war.’ Moreover certain key members of President Sirisena’s government were actively involved in the conduct of the war.”
See full letter here.
See related articles:
Sri Lanka asks UN to delay report into mass atrocities against Tamils (12 Feb 2015)
Sri Lanka's foreign minister tells world to 'be patient' (12 Feb 2015)
In a letter to the UN rights chief, the TCSF spokespersons, Kumaravadivel Guruparan and Elil Rajendran, referring to a Northern Provincial Council resolution on the genocide of Tamil people, said,
“We wish to respectfully urge you not to take any promise for domestic investigations seriously, particularly in the absence of any concrete proposals that demonstrate such intentions. We also would kindly refer you to the resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council on the 10th February 2015 also expressing disbelief in the credibility of domestic mechanisms delivering on accountability, truth and justice.”
Noting a “lack of political will for accountability “ in Sri Lanka, whilst noting that “those present in the government who had no direct connection with the conduct of the war or with past administration narrowly conceive failure of the former government’s failure on the question of accountability as a mismanagement of foreign policy.”, the letter added that,
“Key figures in the new government including President Sirisena were an integral part of the former government under Mahinda Rajapaska and have maintained that the Sri Lankan armed forces fought a ‘clean war.’ Moreover certain key members of President Sirisena’s government were actively involved in the conduct of the war.”
See full letter here.
See related articles:
Sri Lanka asks UN to delay report into mass atrocities against Tamils (12 Feb 2015)
Sri Lanka's foreign minister tells world to 'be patient' (12 Feb 2015)