The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has slammed Sri Lanka for refusing to co-operate with a United Nations inquiry into mass atrocities, stating that it has gone to “extraordinary lengths to sabotage” the investigation.
“The Government of Sri Lanka has refused point blank to cooperate with the investigation despite being explicitly requested by the Human Rights Council to do so,” Zeid said.
In a statement released in Geneva on Friday, the High Commissioner went on to say,
“Such a refusal does not, however, undermine the integrity of an investigation set up by the Council – instead it raises concerns about the integrity of the government in question. Why would governments with nothing to hide go to such extraordinary lengths to sabotage an impartial international investigation?”
Zeid went on to criticise Sri Lanka for its attempts to obstruct witnesses from testifying before the inquiry, saying,
“The Government’s attempts to deter and intimidate individuals from submitting evidence to a UN investigation team is unacceptable conduct for any Member State of the United Nations which has committed to uphold the UN Charter.”
“Since the end of the conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has continued to obstruct any independent investigation despite the persistent, compelling and widespread allegations that possible serious international crimes were committed by both sides during the conflict in Sri Lanka.”
“This continuing campaign of distortion and disinformation about the investigation, as well as the insidious attempts to prevent possible bona fide witnesses from submitting information to the investigating team, is an affront to the United Nations Human Rights Council which mandated the investigation.”
“A wall of fear has been created that has undoubtedly served to deter people from submitting evidence,” he added.
See his full statement here.
The US Ambassador to the Human Rights Council Keith harper “applauded” Zeid’s condemnation of Sri Lanka’s “persistent disinformation campaign”.
Applaud HC Zeid's appropriate condemnation of #SriLanka's persistent disinformation campaign re #UN investigation http://t.co/88jwCpKg70
— Keith Harper (@USAmbHRC) November 7, 2014
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also stated Sri Lanka was attempting to “sabotage” an inquiry into mass atrocities that has been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council.
Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a briefing at Geneva,
"Sri Lanka's government has refused point blank to cooperate with the investigation... (This) raises questions about the integrity of the government. Why would a government sabotage an independent investigation?"