UK’s Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire welcomes report from the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and supports her call for an international investigation into Sri Lanka, says the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire
On Monday 24 February, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, released her report on the promotion of accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following her visit to Sri Lanka last August.
In response to the publication of the report, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said:
The British Government attaches great importance to lasting peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. This is a message that the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and I gave when we visited Sri Lanka last year. We welcome the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka, and share her concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and the lack of progress on accountability. These concerns include the undermining of independent institutions such as the judiciary, a ‘significant surge’ in attacks on religious minorities, reports of sexual harassment and violations, continuation of impunity, continued militarisation of former conflict areas and the continuing trend of restrictions on freedom of expression and association. It is deeply disappointing to note that the government of Sri Lanka have not taken any of the steps recommended following the High Commissioner’s visit in August 2013, and that they have failed to accept all offers of technical assistance on accountability from the UN.
We will continue to study closely both the report and the response of the government of Sri Lanka over the coming weeks. But we strongly agree with the High Commissioner’s assessment that the Sri Lankan government has ‘failed to ensure independent and credible investigations into past violations of international human rights and humanitarian law’ on both sides during the civil war, and we therefore strongly support her call for an international investigation. We agree that the failure of national accountability mechanisms is also ‘fundamentally a question of political will’, rather than the result of a lack of technical capacity, which has been offered repeatedly to the government of Sri Lanka by the international community.
The international community now has a duty to act, and we will be using our position on the UN Human Rights Council to actively press for an international investigation given the lack of a credible domestic accountability process to date. We acknowledge and welcome the progress which has been made by the government of Sri Lanka in areas including the reintegration of child soldiers, demining, and reconstruction of conflict affected areas. However, it is our strong belief that, without a credible investigation in to these very serious allegations of the past, it will be very difficult for the Sri Lankan people to move forward in the true spirit of lasting peace, reconciliation and unity and for Sri Lanka to reach its true potential.
Amarasiri / March 3, 2014
Dear Hugo Swire,
“UK’s Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire welcomes report from the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and supports her call for an international investigation into Sri Lanka.”
“On Monday 24 February, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, released her report on the promotion of accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following her visit to Sri Lanka last August.”
Good, but put some teeth into it, alter a 2-month deadline. Remember Saddam Hussein Deadline to get out of Kuwait? What is wrong with you guys?
Remember, Neville Chamberlain, the Appeaser?
You guys were screwing around in Bosnia, until Boll Clinton did something about it. Even, Ragiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi had guts, and they were leaders.
Do something. Still talking. What is the use of the huge military budget?
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Amarasiri / March 3, 2014
Dear Hugo Swire,
Are you guys busy with Ukraine?
See, what the Russians do?
They talk, they act and shoot if necessary.
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eusense / March 3, 2014
amarass,
You think the west is going to spend money to put teeth into SL? How stupid are you? The west need money from fools like you to get elected to the parliament. They are not stupid to spend their military budget for a bunch of Tamil diaspora. So, keep that money rolling in, more when the UNHRC is in session, they will give you the lip service in return!
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Palmsquirrell / March 3, 2014
West well spend the money if they think shutting the Chinese out of Sri Lanka is important enough.
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Tsunami Hora / March 3, 2014
The West dont have to put their own money.
Once this land is cleansed from the curse of jarapassa we will pay them off with the stolen funds of kekille, LTTE Gold & Tsunami finds which are in their family accounts overseas.
Hugo, we promise we will pay you and a bonus also for you if you have BALLS to bring this fake olamottala regime to their knees!
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OutRider / March 3, 2014
Hugo Swire
What a shameless hypocrite you are! You are a sorry reflection of the moral collapse of a once “great” nation.
The international community now has a duty to act to take your government before the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed against innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Palmsquirrell / March 3, 2014
Deflection as usual from the Sinhala Supremacist crowd. Always pointing fingers at others to absolve themselves of their genocidal goals and mentality.
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Ajith / March 3, 2014
West is moving on the right direction. Sri Lanka had enough opportunities to put the Nation on the right direction to ensure the fundamentals of democracy and human rights. Unfortunately, Sinhala Buddhists fall in the hands of wrong people with wrong alliances. Their choice was criminals, drug dealers, oppressors and dictators.
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Eusense / March 3, 2014
West is the one that put countries in the right direction? Yes, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria are good examples for low IQs like you!
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Ajith / March 4, 2014
Don’t worry about my IQ? Check yours with universal methods accepted by West, not based on your Guru’s like Sadam, Gadaaffi, Assad and Gota.
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Anton / March 3, 2014
UN just found out the whole video and all the .pictures are doctored and fake Lmao
So bye,bye.. Pilay and all the para damleyas including Javi the Brahmin Shakilaya -Father fucked the
shakly women came clean the kovil toilet and then Javi was born .LOL
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Halt / March 3, 2014
[However, it is our strong belief that, without a credible investigation in to these very serious allegations of the past, it will be very difficult for the Sri Lankan people to move forward in the true spirit of lasting peace, reconciliation and unity and for Sri Lanka to reach its true potential.]
what you believe is not the reality. people in NE are quite happy to live in a peaceful land than it was under the control of LTTE. all these allegations were made by interested parties who funds from out side the country. they have a business to run.. the advertisement is war tone NE and war crimes. in the sourthern part of sri lanka too has issues. people dissapear, getting killed and so on. its not a matter of war crimes and who is responsible,. its a matter of establishing the freedom and lasting peace. war was over and crimes has committed. it was not done just to save a bunch of people.it was done to save a nation. the war has effected entire country whether it was tmail or sinhalese ect..in the past. ending of war has given a new life for all the citizens of SL. by bringing up these alligations only on one party and keeping the LTTE out of it shows that some one want to stop the progress of this country. to be fair if needs to conduct allegations to the war crime, then LTTE supporters such as Diaspora too needs to be held accountable. then the countries those who allow fund raising too to be held accountable.
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Ajith / March 3, 2014
You are right man. People in NE are quite happy to live in a peaceful land, but they rejected that they are not happy to live under the control of Sinhala Buddhists. That is why they rejected your Sinhala Buddhist government and elected TNA which has same policies as LTTE.
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Eusense / March 3, 2014
Electing the TNA has nothing to do with rejection of the GOSL. In India DMK winning elections in Tamil Nadu does not mean the people are rejecting to live under the control of government of India.
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Anpu / March 4, 2014
Eusense,
” Electing the TNA has nothing to do with rejection of the GOSL. ” – Electing TNA means that the people in the north have rejected mass murderer Rajapkse and others contested in NP election. It is simple as that. Why do not you understand this.
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Ajith / March 4, 2014
Great IQ. Who contested against TNA? The answer is Government of Sri lanka (President, Government and Sinhala Military).
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