Introducing the debate on the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) at the UNHRC's 30th session on Wednesday, the High Commissioner, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, reiterated the report's recommendation that a hybrid special court be established in order to give confidence to the victims and their families in the process of justice and accountability. Listing the key reasons why a domestic process would not be successful in Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner said, "This is why I have recommended the establishment of an ad hoc hybrid special court, integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators, mandated to try notably war crimes and crimes against humanity, with its own independent investigative and prosecuting organ, defence office and witness and victims protections programme." "In a highly polarized environment, such a mechanism is essential to give all Sri Lankans, especially victims, confidence in the independence and impartiality of this process."
More children of Tamil political prisoners have called for the release of their fathers. Protesting in Jaffna on Wednesday, Tamil children called for the release of their fathers that have been held for years without trial under Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act. The protest continues a ripple of demonstrations by children across the North-East calling for their fathers' release.
Updated 01 Oct 2015 09:21 GMT There were strong calls from member states at the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday for the new Sri Lankan government to deliver concrete steps on its said commitments towards justice and accountability, as the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) was discussed at the Council. Find our live coverage of the discussion on our Twitter feed here . Introducing the debate High Commissioner, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, reiterated the report's recommendation that a hybrid special court be established in order to give confidence to the victims and their families in the process of justice and accountability.
Sri Lanka said that the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) will “receive due attention”, in a statement delivered to the UN Human Rights Council today. Sri Lanka’s ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha told the council that the OISL report had “set out clearly the path we intend to take”. “We stated we take note of the Report of the OISL and that we will ensure that its content as well as recommendations receive due attention of the relevant authorities including the new mechanisms that are envisaged to be set up,” he added. Earlier the High Commissioner had reiterated one of the reports key recommendations – “the establishment of an ad hoc hybrid special court, integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators, mandated to try notably war crimes and crimes against humanity, with its own independent investigative and prosecuting organ, defence office and witness and victims protections programme”.
EU calls for ‘immediate adoption of essential confidence building measures’ for victims in Sri Lanka
The European Union called on the Sri Lankan government to implement the “immediate adoption of essential confidence building measures” for the victims of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict. In a statement delivered to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the EU said it expresses its “deepest solidarity with the victims and their relatives” and had “sincere admiration for the manner in which victims have contributed to the work of the OISL and have placed their confidence in the Human Rights Council”. Stating the tabled resolution on Sri Lanka “marks a crucial step towards a credible transitional justice process... with the active support and participation of the international community”, the EU said: “The full implementation of these commitments is now needed, starting with prompt action on a fully participatory national consultation, especially with the victims, for the design of a comprehensive justice process and the immediate adoption of essential confidence building measures”.
Whilst welcoming the Sri Lankan government's commitments to deliver justice, the UK, in its address to the UN Human Rights Council debate on the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka report (OISL) stressed that the resolution being discussed was not an end in itself. "We warmly welcome the constructive approach that the government of Sri Lanka has taken during this session to agreeing a consensual resolution. However, the UK recognises that this resolution is not an end in itself, but the start of a process that will require commitment from all parties if it is to deliver meaningful reconciliation and long-term peace and stability in Sri Lanka." Welcoming the OISL report's conclusions and recommendations, the UK said "without facts, there can be no justice, no end to impunity and no reconciliation. "The report sets out a range of extremely grave human rights violations and abuses, committed by all sides in the conflict. While this account will be difficult for many in Sri Lanka, it was essential for the Council to have seen it and for the people of Sri Lanka. Without facts, there can be no justice, no end to impunity and no reconciliation. We therefore welcome the report's conclusions and recommendations. They provide an important basis for Sri Lanka and all those affected by the conflict and its aftermath to look to the future."
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) discussion the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL), Estonia and Switzerland invited Sri Lanka to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a guarantee against non-recurrence. While calling on Sri Lanka to reform its criminal code, Switzerland said "[encouraged] the Government of Sri Lanka to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and to accept the jurisdiction of the Court from 1 July 2002 according to Article 12 paragraph 3 of...
Switzerland has urged Sri Lanka to reform its laws and institutions to allow for the prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council during the general debate on the findings of the UN report into Sri Lanka’s atrocities, Switzerland called on Sri Lanka "to amend its Criminal Code in order to fully integrate war crimes offences, crimes against humanity, genocide and forced disappearance with retroactive effect and while guaranteeing their imprescriptibility. It urges Sri Lanka to commit so that crimes do not go unpunished." Switzerland also called on Sri Lanka to "develop a credible transitional justice process with international participation and reform its institutions and its laws."
France has said that ensuring justice for the atrocities committed during the war is essential for lasting peace. Speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council during the general debate on the findings of the OISL report, France said "justice is, indeed, an essential condition for lasting peace," and "the swift establishment of a credible and independent transitional justice mechanism, to which the international community will be linked, is therefore a crucial element to this process." Addressing the crimes against humanity detailed in the report, France said "it is now essential that all light be shed on the responsibility of these crimes, and that justice is ensured, both for victims' families, who bravely contributed to this report, and to facilitate the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka and definitively turn the page on the civil war."
Sri Lanka’s government must implement important recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioners report into Sri Lanka’s atrocities, including supporting the set up of a “dedicated OHCHR office in the country,” said Human Rights Watch on Wednesday. In a statement to the UN Human Rights Council during the general debate on Sri Lanka, Human Rights Watch Geneva Director, stressing the need for effective foreign participation to build trust of victims said, “Sri Lanka’s government, through its co-sponsorship of the resolution, is making important promises to all the victims of Sri Lanka’s long civil war. However, effective foreign participation and international engagement will be needed to build trust and confidence in the process, which is necessary for a successful outcome.” John Fisher, added that international involvement in a judicial justice process “must be meaningful and not tokenisms or a façade.”