The UK Foreign Secretary William Hague stressed in parliament today that the UK fully supports the recommendation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that an international investigation should be established to look into past violations of humanitarian and human rights law in Sri Lanka. "We are pursuing the issue actively at the Human Rights Council to secure an international inquiry of the type recommended by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights," Hague said.
Northern Provincial Councillor, Ananthy Sasitharan ,at a protest demanding an international investigation into the death of a British Tamil prisoner, Gopithas, condemned the treatment of Tamil political prisoners in Sri Lankan custody.
In their opening address to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Denmark have backed calls for an international mechanism to investigate human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Under-secretary of state for Legal Affairs Jonas Liisberg said to the council, “We note with serious concern the recent report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka. We support the High Commissioner’s call for an international inquiry mechanism to further investigate the alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.”
The United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) has expressed its “deep disappointment” at the initial draft of the resolution to be tabled at the UN Human Rights Council this month, and called for a Commission of Inquiry to be included in the resolution.
A senior Defence Ministry official has told The Island that Rev Rayappu Joseph, the Bishop of Mannar, is pursuing the agenda of the LTTE and is pushing for external intervention, a day after a letter to the Human Rights Council, signed by over 200 members of the Christian clergy, called for an international investigation. The official said that the bishop, who is a leading figure in the Tamil civil society, was “probably working with the […] Global Tamil Forum” and its president, Father SJ Emmanuel.
A bus travelling from the North-East to Colombo was attacked by a mob in the middle of the night, reported the Uthayan . The bus, belonging to a tour operator in Jaffna, was ambushed by people armed with knives and clubs in Negombo, around 25 miles from the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. The driver and the conductor were injured in the attack. The reason for the violence is unknown.
As the armed conflict on the island of Sri Lanka drew to an end in May 2009, over 70,000 Tamils were massacred in what has since been acknowledged as gross violations of international law, with the Sri Lankan government overwhelmingly responsible for the mass slaughter. Almost five years since, no one has been brought to account, over 140,000 Tamils remain unaccounted for, and the repression of Tamils who remain in the North-East, now living under effective military occupation by a virtually ethnically pure Sinhala military, is intensifying. No sooner did the fighting cease in 2009, than did Tamils, along with international NGOs, begin calling for an international independent investigation. Sri Lanka cannot investigate itself: the allegations are too grave, and the state's record on providing justice to the Tamils too abysmal for any internal inquiry. Indeed, as the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay noted in her report released last month, the Sri Lankan government has failed to credibly investigate any allegations. As the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council commences in Geneva today, looking set to see the third Sri Lanka-specific resolution in as many years, meaningful international action towards justice and accountability is yet to be seen, whilst impunity catalyses on-going abuses. A resolution calling for an international commission of inquiry is long overdue.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has welcomed the OHCHR report on Sri Lanka released last month, which called for an international inquiry to investigate violations of humanitarian law. Speaking on the opening day of the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Secretary General told the Council, “As we survey crises and challenges around the world, your work for accountability and an end to impunity is critical .”
Last updated: 15:25 GMT The United Kingdom made a clear call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to support an independent investigation on Sri Lanka, stating that "the time has now clearly come for international action, with regard to Sri Lanka," and expressed hope that "the Human Rights Council can unite to support the call for an independent investigation."
Canada pledged its support for an international inquiry mechanism to investigate human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, at the UN Human Rights Council's 25th session that began earlier today. Speaking on the opening day, Lynne Yelich, the Canadian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Consular, said, “In the absence of credible actions by the Government of Sri Lanka, Canada supports the call for an international inquiry mechanism.”