In his letter recommending the ‘one-time only’ deferral on the tabling of the OISL (OHCHR investigation on Sri Lanka), UNHuman Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has stated that the request was made based on the ‘changing context in Sri Lanka’ and the possibility of new information becoming available for the report following a letter written to him by External Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
Mangala Samaraweera -Minister of External Affairs
In his letter to the Council on Friday (13), the Zeid has noted that Minister Samaraweera wrote to him setting out the government’s commitment on advancing reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka including a request for the deferral to the 30th session. Minister Samaraweera has promised to work with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Office in “developing” a domestic mechanism.
Emphasizing the ‘changing context in Sri Lanka’ and the ‘signals of broad cooperation he has received from the government’, the Human Rights Chief has asked for the Council to consider approving the requested deferral that he received earlier this week, through which the much-awaited report was postponed to be tabled during the September session.
Read the letters here
anonymous / February 18, 2015
Thank you commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and Mangala Samaraweera for the most sensible decision taken in decades. Hope the Sri Lankans will be able to find answers for more unresolved mysteries in the given time. Metta!
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Real Peace / February 19, 2015
anonymous
You are spot on!
I really like and respect Mangala, but he will have to deal with this most challenging and difficult issue. If he gives access to the UNHCR to collect further evidence by visiting Sri Lanka during the deferred period, the Sinhala extremism will destroy him. If he does not give access, the UN and West will get tough with Sri Lanka. This issue might destroy Mangala’s political career.
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anonymous / February 18, 2015
“UN report delay- Justice delayes is justice denied – TGTE” (Lanka News Web 18/02/2015)
What are you guys afraid of? There is a very well qualified individual as the chief minister (Viggi) of the northern provincial council taking care of the tamil brothers and sisters with the assistance of Sumanthiran…..and many more.
(The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has decided to accept ministerial portfolios in the Eastern Provincial Council: Lanka Herald News ).
The time given by the OHCHR will be used to carryout a more transparent independent inquiry into the atrocities committed by the ‘LTTE’ vultures as well. Is that what you guys are concerned and fear?
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 18, 2015
Managal’s bullshit is good for the Elite and the Anglicans.
But the Vellalas wouldn’t have a bar of him.
Except using him to get total control of the North to form Eelaam.
If Zaeid brings up the Pillai War Crimes Tribunal in March, Ranil might as well seek a position with the GTF or PM Rudrakumaran.
Because , even the 600,000 Buddhists will abandon not only Ranil but Rathhne and Sobitha as well.
Can Ranil and partner Mangalan form a Government with only the Vellalas and the Muslims who are under Hakeem, Assath and Bathudeen?.
The plan is, delay Pillai and try to form a Govt with the TNA and the Hakeem , Bathudeen , Assath alliance and give the North to Sambandan and the East to SLMC.
Then get the UN to come and try to round up Rajapaksas and the brave Commanders and get them to the Hague.
But it is not likely to happen, no matter what gimmicks Mangalan comes up with.
Where is he going to find new evidence?..
Any new material he would have is what the Reverend and Surendran told him in London and Singapore, when he was arranging the marriage between the UNP London, GTF and the Diaspora to make Sira the President.
With the kind assistance of the Whisky Madam of course.
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jansee / February 18, 2015
anonymous:
It is certainly welcome that there is an expression of commitment and determination to take the necessary steps closer to home. Whether this translates to reality and action will be seen soon enough. After all, this one-only chance is not only for this report but will reflect the character and credibility in the future. There is a general consensus that this deferment is for obvious and salutary reasons.
If numbers are of an indication, the number of victims of LTTE will be a pale shadow compared to the heinous crimes and the large numbers of a section of a population who are believed to have been brutally murdered. Even your connotation of the LTTE’s vulture is quite surprisng. Vultures are not a menace. Alternatively, the service they perform in the prevention of diseases has been well acknowledged. What more, they have never been known to “feast” on live beings. Your report card on the LTTE is heartening. The two UN mandated reports have cited both parties to the conflict as perpetrators, only that the proportionality factor is very heavily skewed towards the SL regime. Well, as is your right as would be the regime’s, forwarding evidence of LTTE’s atrocities is in your court. There is nothing to stop you or the Tamils have to get anxious.
TGTE’s concern stems from perfectly justifiable grounds. While it may still be early to see the way the current regime goes, the umpteen commissions and inquiries by the Rajapakse regime and those earlier have singularly pointed to one deceitful factor – to deceive the international community simply to buy time, hoping that the world will eventually forget. The past does not give either confidence or comfort. I am quite happy to see amity and hope that the new regime will live up to its promises that it had made to itself and the international community.
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Ansar / February 18, 2015
Hi Vellala Sumane,
Can you please reply to my query I have been raising for sometime now, in this forum.
From where did you dawn to this earth and also whether the supervising Angel took a break while the brain formation was taking place, wherever you were created ?
Am still waiting and sure most of others too, with some functioning brain and reasoning.
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Podi Appuhami / February 18, 2015
It is interesting to see that how the new government of Sri Lanka is able change the opinion of the international community with in a shorter period of time. The two leading countries, the USA and the UK, which co-sponsored the resolution at the UNHRC on Sri Lanka now understand the position of Sri Lanka and believe that there will be some substantial (credible)out come in the near future through a domestic mechanism.
It is also interesting to understand that rather plane load of people visiting to Geneva and staying in five star hotels in the name of lobbying [hobbying] for the country, Mr Jayantha Dhanapala, an ex-diplomat, and Hon. Mangala Samaraweera were able convince the UN human Rights High Commissioner that the report could be delayed.
The previous regime’s mishandling of international affairs now has fallen on the shoulders of the professional diplomats to manage and damage control, protect and project Sri Lanka in the international arena but not on the shoulders of Dr DJ, Tamara K , Dr. Nonis K and others. How were the Foreign Minister and his Team able to do that without the so called experts?
The current government should consider these carefully and make the Sri Lanka diplomatic service more professional, efficient and competitive in far with Indian diplomatic service.
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punchiniame / February 18, 2015
The claim that this deferral will bring in more evidence is namely that
of the accusations against the LTTE, so that the matters already on
record with ISOL team will make the Reporting more complete. This part
may entail a visit from the UN Team to hear local evidence from
both Tamils and Sinhalse, in the near future. They will also seek
clarifications on the shifted evidence so that ALL the culprits are
cornered, for Hauge?
ALL criminals (including so-called patriots) must answer for their
crimes against humanity. The deferral is thus welcome for true Justice.
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BBS Rep / February 19, 2015
The idea that Sri Lankans can resolve its own problems and can handle real reconciliation between the races is puerile to say the least. All that we have done since independence is the opposite. The deep rooted suspicions between the races in Sri Lanka are only becoming deeper.
I will not be surprised if Mangala’s real agenda in requesting a delay in releasing the UNHRC report is due to other reasons. Remember, My3 was the deputy minister of defence at the time of the 2009 war horrors. There are other actors also within the government who may get a mention or two in the report.
Anyway the UN has always been an ineffective, moribund organisation steeped in after-the-fact reaction. So we must not hold our breath that something positive for the long term is going to come about from the release of this report.
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lulu / February 19, 2015
Hon Mangala Samaraweera is engaging in damage control, which exactly what Sri Lanka at this point of time needs. The deferral for September is a good thing, as we need to look into the report that was made by the previous regime, and if the contents are valid. The deferral period gives the Foreign Ministry and the other Committees involved to study it with an open mind and come up with a truthful report. Example there cannot be 0 casualties as mentioned by the previous regime……
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watcher / February 19, 2015
SL govt. got plenty of data to refute any war crimes at the last or any phase of the war.. Last month of the war, UN is full active and US had real time ground data monitoring.
Only issue was bloody idiot former FM did nothing on instruction from corrupt Basil which is based on his own ignorance.
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