Hugo Swire urged all sides to continue to work together to ensure that the OHCHR’s report on Sri Lanka, now due in September, is thorough and consistent.
Hugo Swire
Speaking the day after the UN Human Rights Council agreed to defer publication of the report from March to September 2015, Swire welcomed the opportunity for contribution from the Sri Lankan government and restated the UK’s commitment to seeing this report published.
Swire, who is the UK Government minister responsible for India and Sri Lanka said: “The UK wants to see reconciliation in Sri Lanka. That’s why we argued last year for a UN investigation into alleged war crimes and it is why we supported the deferral of this report for six months.
“We believe that the extra time will create an opportunity for the new Sri Lankan government to deliver on its commitment to engage with the UN investigation, potentially generating additional material to inform the High Commissioner’s report. And it will allow the Sri Lankan government to establish their own credible accountability processes.
“The UN investigation is a vital part of the process of addressing the grievances of those affected by the conflict and of achieving lasting peace in Sri Lanka. And we recognise how important this report is for many communities in Sri Lanka and around the world who are looking for answers. That’s why we, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, have made clear that the report must be published and discussed by September 2015 and we will stick to that.
“In the meantime, the new Government of Sri Lanka must use this time to work with the High Commissioner and his Office, and to engage with the broadest possible spectrum of civil society groups within Sri Lanka in order to make progress on reconciliation, accountability and human rights. They have a real opportunity to build a successful, inclusive and prosperous future for their country. But achieving that potential is all about reconciliation. It’s about bringing justice and closure and healing to Sri Lanka and we encourage the Sri Lankan government to take this path to a brighter future.”
Vibhushana / February 18, 2015
I think TNA folks promised vengeance. I have looked at all the possibilities. I just cannot see how Tamils will “heal” with this process.
So its perfect for TNA. They keep coming to power on the back of empty rhetoric like they have done for the last 5 decades.
I can pretty much bet this time next year some other “grievance” has popped up yet again. So this these grievances will be added to the existing pool of grievances and it will continue.
The positive thing is that it breaks the boredom. I am like that. I always look at the positive with everything.
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gamini / February 18, 2015
Why did not GB intervene when Kamalesh Sharma withheld the two Reports of the Jurists who sat on the removal of CJ 43?
What happened to the newly appointed head of CHOGAM? What a ride the citizens were taken for? Oh! to have lost all the Power and Perks! The thought of which many cannot help but rejoice.
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BBS Rep / February 19, 2015
There is a good chance that the reinvented MARA tribe will be holding sway in the Sri Lankan parliament come September. Going by the huge expenses and efforts they put into a recent political rally in Nugegoda there is a good chance the Rajapaksa Clan will be able to pull the wool over the eyes of the voter once again. In such a situation Hugo Swire might as well forget about any reconciliation taking place.
Ah well, the UN has been such an abject failure world wide when it comes to preventing racism or for that matter preventing war.
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Jim softy / February 19, 2015
Tamils are screwed up again.
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Javi. / February 19, 2015
Snowy gave you that intro while you were roaming near cells??
Swine have flat feet when they fall from coconut trees.
Screw is Maxwell the cordless- this is imbili cord very smelly.
They have the fragrant one- the laxative senna. tooth toot & drink.
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Ranil Wijeyesekerar / February 19, 2015
We need a commision to find ways to bring valuable artifacts of our country in the western world back to our country. Did the colonial office break the laws of human rights.
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mechanic / February 19, 2015
What about the Chilcot report on the inquiry on ‘Iraq war’ from the summer of 2001 to the end of July 2009, embracing the run-up to the conflict in Iraq, the military action and its aftermath where several hundred thousand people said to have perished. It should have come out a few years back. British Hypocrits.
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Prabahkaran / February 19, 2015
All sides include SL? What the hell you are talking about? Do you expect justice from MURDERERS? The racist sinhalese will not cooperate for any investigation. Economic sanction, Electric Chair and Eelam (3E) are the ultimate solutions for Tamils in Tamil Eelam. And of course thats why i said to my boys in May, 2009.
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Tilak de Silva / February 23, 2015
Well Mr Prabahkaran your comments are hilarious, Racist Sinhalese Murderers, where have you been living Sir, did you not hear of a man called ‘Velupulle Prabahkaran’ who for thirty years caused murder and mayhem in Sri Lanka, killing innocent Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese. In one day in Jaffna he killed approximately 2500 Muslims, because they could not leave Jaffna peninsula within 24 hours, after looting all their money and property. That was a small score of his murders, have you forgotten that he took your own Tamil children from crying parents, put a cyanide capsule around their neck, sent the children to fight for him, what did he achieve, mass misery for Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese. So please be fair in your comments, we are all victims of the racist war started by VP, now propagated by other scavengers.
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Arivalagan / February 19, 2015
Why you western fools talking rubbish in this GENOCIDAL ISSUE??? Do really know what was the problem in SL from 1948? You Englishman is the main reason for all minority problems in SL. How the hell can you talk about RECONCILIATION without murdering the genocidal murders by hanging??? How can you expect peace when one community seveirly affected by every aspects.? while the other community is still at racist thoughts??? The reconciliation you mean is may be for your pocket or your country’s political advantage but the affected will have to get for what they FOUGHT!!! FUCK YOU ENGLISHMEN.
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Arivalagan / February 19, 2015
After September you, Cameron, Obama and Modi will use the papers of the report in TOILET! to whipe out your shitty asses..! Please note that that will surely happen like in 2011 when Moon used the Panel Report to whipe his ass, He is still using.
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Taraki / February 19, 2015
Ha Ha Ha realpolitik always wins, and that means that a full international enquiry is an impossibility. First step was delaying the UN report due to the ‘changing context in Sri Lanka’ whatever the hell that means. More to come!
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Javi. / February 19, 2015
Hugo Swire is another Government `servant` that does the bidding.
UK the Land of Association that has outrun its education but hanging onto apron strings- Trade Union. It’s forced its substandard services over a battered EU politically but never via its low level education and tactics for awarding degrees to politicians kids & relatives.
UK style- set up a commission to kill the idea.
while the English women keep the minutes and forget the hours go by-
We all going on a summer holiday…cliff you bore me just like bLiar
who is still boring & boring the woodworks.
What maggots in grumpy apples??
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Taraki / February 19, 2015
As Sri Lanka has not ratified the Rome Convention at the International Criminal Court it is not required to submit to a UN-initiated probe.
The minister of Justice told the press “We will decide on our next steps, which will be measures that will not undermine sovereignty, but will be legally and ethically correct.”
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Javi. / February 20, 2015
Tagaran tic tic full of ticks,
“”As Sri Lanka has not ratified …”
Present day Bombastic Johnson who is a native speaker of the English language explained that better than an arab on new camel in his anglo saxon knickers. His better half did tell him that he would lose most of his soul mate friends when he holds the reins as chief- a dependant man like the UN sec’s so far from Iraq war days.
Ask Boris Johnson the journalist turned Mayor of Bright london & one who is loved by all China. He has given the green light in plain/classical English as to how the law would be applied.
man this is a Cambridge Affiar beyond all Oxbridges- its just that base ball carrying chaemelon has made a few promises and IC want to see him win with Ranil.
NaMo has the final say so lets see how Mangala hoodwinks all IIT even defense RSS.
Its our 30th State- what goes round must come round then you can live in a grey submarine. that sinks to the Giants whim.
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Javi. / February 20, 2015
“” it is not required to submit to a UN-initiated probe. “”
Tagaran tic tic full of ticks,
Sinhala Lanka became a signatory on the 12th October 1950 1 . Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Paris, 9 December 1948 1 Entry into force : 12 January 1951, in accordance with article XIII. Registration : 12 January 1951, No. 1021 Participant 2 Signature Accession(a), Succession(d), Ratification Sri Lanka 12 Oct 1950 Status : Signatories : 41. Parties : 144 Text : United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 78, p. 277.
Control Freek preek preeek preeeeeek. Tatte Motte Bette.
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Taraki / February 20, 2015
Java watte boy, the cat has run away with the spoon.
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Javi. / February 20, 2015
Heyna Cucuta, `saffron coloured One¬
Chamchee Gand pe lathi!! Canning RSS style…
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Tilak de Silva / February 21, 2015
British government has an audacity to order for Thamils and SL government to resolve issues together, when during colonial time their divide and rule policy is the prime cause of this problem. They encouraged migration from South India to Jaffna by thosands. They left SL with leaving the problem, like all the colonial countries. Now that British politicians, Conservative and Labor both depend on ill gotten money from Thamil/LTTE goons for their politics, come with a pointless out date quotation, as they have never solved any crisis any where in the world created by British, only it reads ‘British made’.
Thamils in UK cheat/swindle the welfare system, even they cannot control, but need the LTTE political funds to be in Westminster.
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Saracen / February 22, 2015
I will have more respect for the UK when they demand an investigation into the abuses committed by the US and the UK in Iraq.
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