Writing on Al Jazeera, a Barrister member at Nine Bedford Row International Chambers and a member of the International Criminal Bureau in The Hague, outlined that ‘urgent international intervention’ was needed to ensure justice for victims of Sri Lankan atrocities.
See full opinion piece here. Excerpts from the opinion reproduced below.
See full opinion piece here. Excerpts from the opinion reproduced below.
"The Sri Lankan government has rejected the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as baseless. The fact remains that the examples given in the report are highly credible and have been endorsed by leading members of the international legal community, including Manfred Nowak, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, and Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture."
"If those allegations are not investigated fully, it is not an unrealistic concern that the calls for investigations will turn to discontent, will turn to anger, and will perhaps fester and increase in its magnitude. If history has taught us anything, it is that a culture of ignorance and impunity creates greater instability not peace."
"It is clear that those member states that oppose credible international investigations in Sri Lanka will be those same states that oppose international scrutiny and intervention in a host of other conflicts around the world such as Syria, Egypt and now Ukraine."
"The international community that holds justice at the heart of accountability and peace owes the people of Sri Lanka a process that meets universal standards aimed at bringing a just resolution to the many victims of years of conflict. It is a tragedy that justice has been delayed, but without urgent international intervention justice will be denied once again."