UN human rights chief warns Sri Lanka of fresh conflict
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday warned Sri Lanka it could slip back to conflict unless it addressed the “worst crimes” during the final stages of its ethnic war.
Michelle Bachelet told the Human Rights Council that Sri Lanka was yet to set up the special judicial mechanism as promised four years ago to try war criminals.
Colombo had agreed to ensure an accountability mechanism by March 2019, but Sri Lankan authorities have said they want another two years to deliver.
The council is expected to decide on granting an extension on Thursday, but Bachelet said Sri Lanka’s failure to address emblematic cases had led to a lack of confidence.
“Continuing impunity risks fuelling communal or interethnic violence, and instability,” she said.
“Resolving these cases, and bringing the perpetrators of past crimes to justice, is necessary to restore the confidence of victims from all communities.”
She noted a “lack of progress in setting up a special judicial mechanism to deal with the worst crimes committed during the 2009 conflict”.
Delays were partly due to a power struggle between President Maithripala Sirisena and his estranged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe late last year, she said.
Sirisena sacked the government and called a snap election, but the Supreme Court restored the status quo after ruling that the president had violated the constitution.
Sirisena and Wickremesinghe are also at odds over ensuring accountability.
Earlier this month, Sirisena said he wanted the rights council to drop the demand to prosecute war criminals, but later retracted and agreed to the government’s call to buy more time.
“A contributing factor to delays appears to be a lack of common vision among the country’s highest leadership,” Bachelet said.
“Deadlock on these important issues is an additional — and avoidable — problem, with damaging impact currently on victims from all ethnic and religious groups and on society as a whole,” she said.
A UNHRC resolution in October 2015 granted Sri Lanka 18 months to establish a credible investigation. The two-year extension to that expires this month and there have been no tangible results.
(Source: AFP)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Parliament to convene from December 3 to 6, 2024 November 27, 2024
- Severe weather displaces over 200,000 in Sri Lanka November 27, 2024
- NPP General Secretary Nihal Abeysinghe’s vehicle falls into Parliament Pond November 27, 2024
- CBSL reduces monetary policy rate, sets 8% overnight rate November 27, 2024
- IMF Chief hails Sri Lanka’s economic reforms as milestones mark recovery November 27, 2024
Hang few former LTTE carders who are in persion as they have been done the war crimes
Is she threatening the Govt of Sri Lanka? Or trying to blackmail SL Govt.? Or she is echoing what LTTE sympathizes/Tamil Diaspora says? Who will start violence again? Is it LTTE again? This is the consequences of sending individuals such as Shivalingam from tax payers money to Geneva.
If SL is not receiving a reasonable listening at the UNHRC, why not walk out as the Americans did?
Dear Fire Perera, Yes Sri Lanka can do this. But unfortunately our present leaders do not have guts to that. What to do ‘naraka-kalata’. SL has become No. 01 Jokers!!!
I don’t understand why Sri Lankan government allow this drop ours to come to Sri Lanka and give us a lecture in human rights. Why no one is talking about the Tamil paper tigers terrorist imposed on innocent people and children. No one is talking about the bus load of Buddhist priest gun down by these cower thugs. Asked her to f**k off from our country and concentrate on in human activities of USA and Israel. .
My dearRanjith,
The Guy who ‘bus load of Buddhist priest gun down’ is a Snhala Buudhist hero living luxuriaslay in Batticaloa.
Ranjith, read the followings story:
‘On 11 June 1990, at about 6:00 a.m. LTTE surrounded the Batticaloa police station and abducted 3 policemen. About an hour later, around 250 armed LTTE cadres occupied the police station. Then the Sinhala police officers along with their families were sent to the airport. Tamil Police officers were taken to the St Mary’s Church, with their families. The acting Officer-in-Charge and four other policemen were detained. LTTE also removed Rs. 45 million in cash, gold jewelry, 109 T 56 rifles; 77 T 84S rifles; 28 light machine guns; 29 self-loading rifles; 65 sub machine guns; 78 .303 rifles and 78 SAR 80 guns from the police station.
LTTE ordered all police stations in Eastern Province to be vacated by 2:30 p.m. or face the consequences. The Inspector General of Police, Ernest Perera, also instructed the police officers to surrender, at the request of President Ranasinghe Premadasa.[1][4] Police officers laid down their arms after being promised safe conduct and subsequent release.
Then the Sinhalese officers were sent to the Army or Air Force camps while Tamil officers were accommodated at schools. Meanwhile, the LTTE abducted 899 officers. About 125 were able to escape. Prisoners were taken to the Vinayagapuram and Trincomalee jungles.[5] Once they had arrived, the LTTE cadres lined up the officers, tied their hands behind their backs and shot them dead. In all, 600 to 774 police officers died.[2]
But not all the officers complied at once. ASP Ivan Boteju – who was the OIC of Kalmunai police station – refused to surrender and kept on fighting with the LTTE from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. He protested insisting that they “would be tortured if not killed [if they surrendered]”. Within that period, he repeatedly requested air support and artillery support but was denied. At about 5:20 p.m. the IGP personally contacted Botheju, ordered to cease firing and surrender. When they had laid down their arms, LTTE took over and all communications with the Colombo Police headquarters were lost. Then the LTTE cadres took them to the Tirukkovil jungles and executed them.[6]
Ranjith, all this was done by Karuna Amman, the Sinhala Buddhist’s star.
Mr Thuleepan Somasundaram Who are you kidding mate? You are not taking with your mouth. I have no words to describe the story you have written. Unbelievable.
Dear Ranjith,
That story comes from Wikipedia mate, the World’s most authentic encyclopedia.
So, Wikipedia is the BIBLE for you.