UNHRC investigation on Sri Lanka : An organized fraudulent submission process favours Tamils and not Sinhalese or Muslim victims?

Sri Lanka is accused by the UNHRC head himself of sabotaging an ‘impartial’ investigation. Why…because Sri Lanka revealed the arrest of a LTTE un-rehabilitated cadre who had in his possession 25 blank forms in Tamil of which 6 had signatures? The concern Sri Lanka has every right to raise is that the arrest uncovered a systematic and organized effort to take signatures (in exchange for money) and a third party ends up writing lies and submitting these as genuine witness testimonies. The overseas witness testimonies are most likely to follow the same procedure. If not for the arrest we would not be aware that forms had been created, blank signatures obtained and third parties were filling details to be sent to the OISL investigation team. Is it not natural to next wonder how many blank forms have been distributed, how many signatures obtained and how many bogusly filled forms have actually been accepted by the OISL investigators and how much of the fraudulent entries will end up influencing the OISL final report? What happens when ONLY one group of ‘victims’ get forms and third parties are making fraudulent entries and UNHRC Head and Office show no alarm that such blank forms are being circulated for one group of ‘victims’ only except to berate those who exposed the devious plot!

Our Concerns

1. We would like to know how many LTTE or non-LTTE members are involved in this exercise of collecting signatures on blank forms of Tamil ‘victims’ only? (anyone can agree to place their signature for a payment when another party is making entries and sending the form to OISL as a ‘victim witness testimony’)
2. We should know who are the Third Parties involved and tasked to fill the signed forms both in Sri Lanka and overseas?
3. We are keen to know why the OHCHR head/ UNHRC and the OISL are not alarmed and shocked that printed forms have been distributed amongst Tamils only and third parties are filling details on signed blank forms which OISL is accepting as ‘witness testimonies’ giving 20 years anonymity.
4. The People of Sri Lanka are shocked that the OHCHR head and UNHRC without commending Sri Lanka and its intelligence authorities for unearthing a sinister plot to manipulate the investigation have resorted to berating the Government instead.
5. Inquiries from non-Tamils to the OISL email were informed that there was no format to make submissions but that submissions had to be limited to 10 pages (font size/font type was also not mentioned nor was there any acknowledgement or automatic acknowledgement mail to confirm receipt of submissions sent)
6. In the light of the discovery of formats for only Tamils there is a big question mark as to whether any of the Sinhalese and Muslim submissions have been entertained by the OISL thus far.

Questions for OHCHR Head / UNHRC Office / OISL Investigation team

• Did the OHCHR/UNHRC or the OISL print or advise how to format submission forms to be distributed amongst Tamils only?
• Did the OHCHR/UNHRC or the OISL agree to make payment for witness information/testimonies and have such payments been made?
• Why is the OHCHR head/UNHRC or the OISL reluctant to admit or deny if they had any role (direct/indirect) in making available blank forms and compensation payment for testimonies – previous fact finding missions against other countries and leaders and COI have also had allegations of witness payment!
• Why is the OHCHR head chiding Sri Lanka for exposing a fraud taking place in the investigation when OHCHR/UNHRC and the OISL team should be the first to be shocked!
• Why doesn’t OHCHR/UNHRC or OISL make a statement that such fraudulent submissions will affect the testimonies of Sinhalese and Muslims who do not have such privilege or favour?
• Sinhalese and Muslims have not resorted to making submissions in such fraudulent means therefore it is unethical for the OISL team to accept any of these submissions on the format though we may not know if other formats following the same process of blank signatures and third party entries have been adopted in Sri Lanka and overseas as well.
• Why doesn’t OHCHR head/UNHRC or OISL engage with the GOSL to find out more details about what else the LTTE member/the TNA advisory panel member and other accomplices have been upto to tamper with the investigation?
• THIS PARTIES FILLING FORMS AND SUBMITTING AS GENUINE WITNESS TESTIMONIES IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE. OISL/OHCHR/UNHRC NEED TO INVESTIGATE HOW MANY SUCH FRAUDULENT FORMS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED THUS FAR FROM SRI LANKA AND ABROAD. THE KEY TO THE CREDIBILITY OF THE INVESTIGATION IS WITHHELD UNTIL THESE DETAILS ARE DISCLOSED OFFICIALLY AND LEGAL ACTION TAKEN AGAINST THE PARTIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FRAUD AND MANIPULATION OF THE UN SYSTEM.

All the fancy terminologies that the OHCHR/UNHRC claim to stand for are currently placed on the dock with the international public as jury watching to see how partially or impartially the OHCHR Head/the UNHRC office and the OISL investigators respond to a very clear fact that there are forms available to Tamils only and third parties are filling these forms and submitting to the OISL team. Making matters worse is that for signatures on blank forms a monetary compensation has been promised. Two wrongs for which the UNHRC Head or his office have yet to admit or deny. It is futile reprimanding the messenger for the GOSL had no part in printing forms, promising payment or organizing teams to fill lies.

The OHCHR Head, his office and the OISL investigators need to go after the culprits involved!

The conspicuous absence of empathy for Sinhalese and Muslims by the OHCHR head and his Office and the UNHRC in the light of the arrest and discovery certainly questions the credibility of a supposed impartial office. Let us not forget that the Sinhalese and Muslims have been the real victims of 30 years of LTTE terrorism which is why LTTE came to be internationally proscribed as a terrorist organization, lest people have forgotten that too!

It is extremely important that we unearth who are complicit in the preparation, printing and monetary inducement tactic for it holds the key to the entire credibility of the final report and recommendations therefore if the UNHRC Head refuses to take action by commencing an investigation as to how forms came to be found in the hands of a former LTTE and a TNA advisory panel member.

please refer attachment for the specimen form found on the arrested LTTE cadre with a signature on the blank form (no date and no details – a Third Party would enter lies and submit to the OISL as ‘genuine’ ‘witness testimony’ and claim witness protection and 20 years anonymity)

Click here to view “The OHCHR Complaints Submission Form”

– by Shenali D Waduge