{"id":163845,"date":"2016-06-14T03:31:09","date_gmt":"2016-06-13T22:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=163845"},"modified":"2016-06-19T00:01:37","modified_gmt":"2016-06-18T18:31:37","slug":"testing-time-for-united-nations-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/testing-time-for-united-nations-sri-lanka\/","title":{"rendered":"Testing Time For United Nations & Sri Lanka"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Thambu Kanagasabai<\/span><\/a> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Thambu<\/a>

Thambu Kanagasabai<\/p><\/div>\n

How much longer can Sri Lanka, albeit old or new regime, cajole and fool the United Nations? While the world awaits with bated breath for the United Nations High Commissioner’s oral report on Sri Lanka, this article endeavours to list in brief the various United Nations Panels’ core findings from 2010 \u2013 2016 as well as the findings of other international human rights agencies which conducted their own investigations as to the commissions and omissions of Sri Lanka\u2019s security forces from 2006 \u2013 2010 including various comments and statements of dignitaries and world leaders – only to show how much resources, time and energy has been invested so far and how much substantive proof has emerged with no avail!<\/p>\n

In his opening remarks at the 32nd session<\/span><\/a> of the UN Human Rights Council, underway today June 13, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, His Excellency Prince Zeid Ra\u2019ad al-Hussein<\/span><\/a>, had a paragraph on Sri Lanka:<\/p>\n

“In Sri Lanka, the government\u2019s efforts to implement its commitments in Resolution 30\/1 will require a comprehensive strategy on transitional justice that enables it to pursue different processes in a coordinated, integrated and appropriately sequenced manner. This will require the inclusive and meaningful engagement of all Sri Lankans. I will present an oral update later in the session.”<\/p>\n

It’s a general statement that has nothing new that hasn’t been said before; very little will be gained by decoding it; except that we got confirmation that the High Commissioner is scheduled to give his ‘oral report’ on Sri Lanka, “later in the session.”<\/p>\n

Much rests on what the High Commissioner would say in this much awaited oral report. Will he relent yet again when Sri Lanka, even under the new regime, the co- sponsor of the UN HRC resolution passed at the 30th session, has done nothing substantive to deliver on its promises. In fact the government has rejected any question of involving any foreign judges in any domestic inquiry it contemplates – a domestic inquiry that it has done nothing about.<\/p>\n

The armed struggle by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which commenced in 1976 with the failure of peaceful struggles initiated in 1956 by the past Tamil political leaders, reached its climax in the Eelam war IV from 2006 \u2013 2009.<\/p>\n

The war ended with a victory for Sri Lankan Government with the backing and silent consent of several countries including United Nations. Even United Nations and Human Rights Council depravingly applauded the Sri Lankan Government for its success in 2009, which was achieved with the commissions of war crimes, crimes against humanity etc. and harvesting 146,679 innocent civilian lives. The international community and United Nations woke up after independent western media and television channels exposed the horrific crimes committed by the Sri Lankan security forces including graphic live scenes of captured prisoners being summarily executed at point blank.<\/p>\n

Worldwide agitations by Tamil Diaspora<\/span><\/a> and condemnations by various countries and human rights groups forced the United Nations Human Rights Council to appoint several Commissioners, Rapporteurs and internal panels to undertake comprehensive investigations into the war crimes conduct and actions of both Sri Lankan security forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.<\/p>\n

Resources, Time and Energy Invested So Far<\/strong><\/p>\n

Year 2010 was the starting point for the international community and the United Nations to take notice of Sri Lanka\u2019s human rights violations and initiating various steps to unearth the truths and expose the cover ups and false propaganda of Sri Lankan Government.<\/p>\n

The United State\u2019s State Department\u2019s report for the year 2010 published on April 8, 2010 among other matters stated \u201ca disproportionate number of human rights violations were committed against Tamils. Security forces tortured and abused detainees, authorities arbitrarily arrested and detained citizens\u201d<\/p>\n

The United Nations Secretary General His Excellency Ban Ki-moon later appointed the United Nations Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka in 2010, to look into the allegations of human rights violations and submit a report. Evidence was collected from various sources and human rights groups.<\/p>\n

The Unrow Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic of American University, Washington College of Law submitted evidence and even filed a lawsuit against Mr. Shavendra de Silva, a military general who commanded the 58th division during the war.<\/p>\n

Italy based Permanent People\u2019s Tribunal on Sri Lanka which held its first session in Dublin in 2010 confirmed \u201cthe commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Sri Lanka Government which were continuing\u201d<\/p>\n

In June 2010, the United Nations Secretary General appointed a Panel of Experts on Accountability to advise him \u201cregarding the modalities, applicable international standards and comprehensive experience of international humanitarian and human rights law during the final stages of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka.\u201d The expert\u2019s panel issued their report in March 2011, stating inter alia. \u201cIndeed, the conduct of the war represented a grave assault on the entire regime of international law designed to protect individual dignity during both war and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following this report, the United Nations Secretary General appointed Mr. Charles Petrie to examine the United Nation\u2019s role in the conflict. This internal review, undertaken by Charles Petrie, reveals UN involvement in Sri Lanka to be a \u201cgrave failure\u201d in preventing the mass atrocities, war crimes, crimes against humanity which occurred during the civil war from 2006-2009 amounting to genocide. This report also stated that \u201caccording to United Nations data most casualties were caused by Government\u2019s fire.\u201d Further the report also condemns the \u201cSri Lankan Government\u2019s obstruction and manipulation of United Nation\u2019s personnel.\u201d The report also states that there were \u201ccredible estimates for the civilian casualties 70,000.\u201d<\/p>\n

The European Parliament also passed a resolution in 2012 calling for a United Nations commission to inquire into all crimes committed as recommended by United Nation\u2019s Panel of Experts Report. Likewise Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group also called for an international investigative mechanism in 2012 while criticising the flawed Sri Lanka\u2019s LLRC Report.
\nConsequently in March 2013 United States of America tabled a resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council which allowed the then UN Human Rights Commissioner Madam Navaneetham Pillai to continue her reports including visits to Sri Lanka. She visited Sri Lanka in August 2013 and presented an oral update to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2013.<\/p>\n

The 2013 US resolution in the UNHRC also called upon the Sri Lankan Government to conduct an independent and credible investigation into allegations violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law as applicable.<\/p>\n

Calls for international investigation were made by several human rights activists and organizations in 2014.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Northern Provincial Council, Sri Lanka in January 2014 passed a resolution unanimously to this effect.<\/li>\n
  2. Tamil Nadu State Assembly, India representing 75 millions Tamils passed a similar resolution unanimously in 2014.<\/li>\n
  3. Mr. Brad Adams, Asia Director of Human rights Watch Organization stated \u201cit is clearer than ever that an independent investigation is needed to make genuine progress in providing justice for victims.\u201d<\/li>\n
  4. Amnesty International urged the UNHRC to ensure an international investigation in 2014.<\/li>\n
  5. International Crisis Group called for a strong international mechanism to inquire into violations of international law by both sides in 2014.<\/li>\n
  6. International Criminal Evidence Project based in Australia described Sri Lanka in 2014 \u201cas an Island of impunity and concluded\u201d that vast majority of alleged crimes were perpetrated by Sri Lankan Security forces.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    However, Sri Lankan government has brushed aside these calls and put an end to the \u2018international investigation\u2019 cry and process with statements from the Sri Lankan President and recently from the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on May 29th 2016 when he said that \u201cjudicial mechanism would be made of entirely Sri Lankan Judges,\u201d which is already discredited in the UNHRC<\/p>\n

    Commission\u2019s report and rejected by the UN High Commissioner for Human rights.<\/p>\n

    ALLEGATIONS OF GENOCIDE:<\/strong> \u2028The war from 2006 to 2009 between Liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam and Sri Lankan government ended with 146,679 Tamil civilians killed and or missing. The International community later accepted commissions of war crimes and crimes against humanity etc., which could be proved as genocide<\/span><\/a> after credible investigations into the modus operandi of security forces during the final stages of war which included bombing and shelling of hospitals, humanitarian objects and in places declared as no fire zone where many thousands sought safety.<\/p>\n

    The Permanent Peoples Tribunal in its verdict after its hearings in Bremen, Germany in 2013 reached a consensus ruling that \u201cthe state of Sri Lanka is guilty of the crime of genocide against Eelam Tamils and that the consequences of the genocide continue to the present day with ongoing acts of genocide against the Tamils.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Honourable Selvi Jayaram Jayalalitha characterised the 2009 atrocities as genocide and called for international investigation to punish the war criminals.<\/p>\n

    The UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic urged the UNHRC to investigate and report on the charge of genocide, which is acknowledged by most of the members of international community \u201cwith request to UN Security Council to refer the matter to International Criminal Court.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The California based Oakland Institute in a report in May 2015 \u201cfinds that a silent war is still continuing after 2009, in which thousands of Tamils are still internally displaced and subject to military occupation and fierce discrimination by the Buddhist Sinhalese majority with about 70,000 missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Honourable Patrick Brown, Leader of Ontario Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in a statement on 18th May 2016, \u201cregretted the insufficient progress in seeking justice for the victims of genocide\u201d.<\/p>\n

    The Northern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka passed a unanimous resolution in February 2015 confirming the commission of the alleged crime of genocide.<\/p>\n

    The UN Panels final report on human rights situation in Sri Lanka was published in the UNHRC session in September 2015. The report dealt with the alleged violations said to have occurred between years 2002 \u2013 2011. The report \u201cidentified grave violations which strongly indicated that war crimes and crimes against humanity were most likely committed by both sides of the conflict.\u201d The report as stated by the Commissioner \u201creveals violations that are among the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole.\u201d The report was compiled after the UNHRC appointed Commissioners conducted extensive investigations for more than eighteen months from March 2014.<\/p>\n

    The comprehensive and damning report resulted in the USA and Sri Lanka\u2019s joint resolution in the 30th UNHRC sessions in September 2015. The resolution made six proposals encouraging Sri Lanka and ten proposals welcoming Sri Lanka\u2019s proposed actions which almost diluted the provisions of the earlier UN\u2019s report and making them sterile and emaciated to enforce with fruition.<\/p>\n

    The High Commissioner made an official visit to Sri Lanka in February 2016 to see for himself the progress regarding the implementation of the October 01, 2015 resolution. At the end of the visit the High Commissioner emphasized that \u201cit is the victims who must determine and feel that justice is done\u201d. The High commissioner \u201ccalled for an impartial and independent court\u201d without insisting on the hybrid court proposal which he strongly recommended in September 2015. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has thus acquiesced to the setting up of an internal mechanism by Sri Lanka which should be \u201cimpartial and independent\u201d despite his earlier admitting the flawed functioning of the Sri Lanka\u2019s judicial process reputed for impartiality and state bias.<\/p>\n

    In the meantime, UN Special Rapporteur Parlo de Greiff at the conclusion of his visit to Sri Lanka in February 2016, made the following observations among others. He warned about \u201cthe high degree of polarization, and questioned the Government\u2019s willingness to abide by the commitments undertaken at an international platform.\u201d He emphasized that \u201ccomments and statements of Prime Minister and some ministers about the fate of the disappeared also created consternation amongst family members of victims\u201d Finally he emphasized that \u201cSri Lanka needs to avail itself of every possible means of demonstrating to all its citizens that the equality of rights is a meaningful motion in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Following his visit two UN Special Rapporteurs Honourable Monica Pinto and Honourable Juan Mende visited Sri Lanka in May 2016 and made the following important comments and recommendations. Among others Monica Pinto \u201crequested more acceptable Tamil speaking Judges and police.\u201d \u201cAppointment of more state counsels and qualified translators to be assigned to tribunals to ensure fair trials and verdicts.\u201d \u201cConfessions under Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 should be coupled with supporting evidences,\u201d to ensure truth in the judicial process. \u201cTo ensure that every person detained has access to a lawyer from the moment of arrest\u201d which right should also be enshrined in the constitution and embodied in the legislation\u201d.<\/p>\n

    Honourable Juan de Mende made the following recommendations among others. \u201cRepealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1979 and replace it with another act after engaging in a national debate allowing full participation of civil society.\u201d<\/p>\n

    He lamented the culture of impunity and lack of accountability with only six prosecutions against security officials initiated since 1994 and without a single conviction so far. \u201cHe also confirmed the consistent practice of torture of detainees under Prevention of Terrorism Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Honourable Brad Adams of Human rights Watch Organization criticized the recent setting up of an \u201coffice for missing persons without the promised consultations with families of the disappearance,\u201d which has also been condemned by other civil groups.<\/p>\n

    Now, after the lapse of eight months since the UNHRC resolution of October 01, 2016, Sri Lankan government has neither initiated nor discussed the implementation of any of the recommendations of the resolution and this is not surprising in the face of the time buying tactics Sri Lanka employs and has employed successfully in the past. International scholars from various countries have already vouchsafed this deluding tactics of Sri Lanka and have called for the implementation of the resolution without delay.<\/p>\n

    Amnesty International in a report on May 30, 2016 has called for an \u201cincrease of pace transparency and visibility of reform efforts ensuring these are undertaken with genuine cross community collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Professor Steven Ratner of University of Michigan a member of the UNSO Panel in a Journal of Law stated in 2012 \u201c there is no environment to address accountability and dispense justice for war crimes etc domestically in Sri Lanka.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Law and Society Trust in 2010 stated that \u201ccommissions of inquiry in Sri Lanka have been more political exercises than genuine attempts to reconcile a traumatised nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Asian Human rights Commission papers 71, 75 \u2013 2010 commented \u201cthese commissions were not meant to engage in any genuine truth seeking and this country has no tradition in truth telling and reconciliation.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The LLRC [Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission] Recommendations published in 2011 which are still kept untouched is one recent example to confirm the above allegations.<\/p>\n

    From 1977, thirteen State Commissions of inquiry into various issues were appointed and their reports and recommendations found their safe place as archives only as stated earlier.<\/p>\n

    Sri Lankan government has now out-rightly rejected international participation thereby derailing a genuine process of accountability, besides foreign dignitaries and organizations have voiced their criticisms and skepticism as to the proposed actions of Sri Lankan government regarding question of justice, accountability and reconciliation.<\/p>\n

    Honourable Hugo Swire of UK, Minister of State in charge of Commonwealth while in his visit to India on May 30, 2016 said Sri Lanka is \u201cyet to fulfil the commitments made to the international community.\u201d<\/p>\n

    British Conservative Party MP Berrie in a meeting with UK Tamil Groups in May 2016 stated that \u201cthe process of accountability is completely stalled in Sri Lanka.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Prime Minister of Canada Right Honourable Justin Trudeau on May 18, 2016 emphasized the \u201cinvolvement of foreign judges into the war investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Deputy Prime Minister of Penang, Malaysia, stated in May 2016 that \u201cSri Lankan Government is yet to prosecute members of armed responsible for the crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Making promises is a past time for Sri Lankan government and ministers which has been happening since 1948, the most recent being the promise to repeal of Prevention of Terrorism Act made by Prime Minister Honourable Ranil Wickremasinghe and foreign minister Honourable Mangala Samaraweera which also appears to be hanging in balance.<\/p>\n

    Sri Lanka\u2019s ethnic problem and past actions of Sri Lanka towards Tamils are now internalized with United Nations, and United Nations Human Rights Council toiling to solve them, while Sri Lanka is expressing optimism to out manoeuvre any UN or UNHRC actions against it through promises and cooling diplomatic gestures. The world community will surely believe Sri Lanka while deserting the Tamils and allowing justice and accountability to lie in state prolonging their desperation and yearning for justice. Justice can only be achieved when accountability is upheld and dispensed with allowing room for reconciliation.<\/p>\n

    The duty and burden to achieve the above solely and squarely lies on the United Nations and world community to translate their resolutions and calls with fruitful actions and results, thereby upholding human rights and mete out justice to the Tamils, not allowing political and economic interests to prevail over humanitarian issues.<\/p>\n

    The High Commissioner, the UNHRC and UN thus carry out the duty and responsibility to ensure Sri Lanka`s compliance without any excuses. This is all the more urgent, as the UN targeted objectives of accountability, justice and reconciliation appear to be losing their hold on Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka also seems to have successfully cold shouldered the accountability and justice issues and is presently hanging on reconciliation which could also end up with half-hearted and unacceptable proposals for inclusion in the proposed new constitution.<\/p>\n

    Thanks to opposition within and out of the Government, Buddhist clergy, Buddhist extremists and chauvinistic organizations which are mushrooming and always voicing protests and opposition whenever any remedial measures are offered to Tamils.<\/p>\n

    Will the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council and the High Commissioner rein in on Sri Lanka or continue to rely on its promises and allow it to continue the non-compliance and flouting of its own UNHRC resolutions with impunity?<\/p>\n

    The ball is in United Nation’s court<\/p>\n

    Reference: <\/strong><\/p>\n

    United Nations Panel of Experts Report 2011<\/p>\n

    UN Internal Review Panel Report 2012<\/p>\n

    LLRC Report 2011<\/p>\n

    UNHRC Resolution 19- 2 2012<\/p>\n

    UNHRC Resolution 22-1 2013<\/p>\n

    UNHRC Resolution 30-1 2015<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":132214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,46,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-163845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-constitutional-reforms","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nTesting Time For United Nations & Sri Lanka - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/testing-time-for-united-nations-sri-lanka\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Testing Time For United Nations & Sri Lanka - Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[…]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/testing-time-for-united-nations-sri-lanka\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-06-13T22:01:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-06-18T18:31:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Thambu.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"494\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"647\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/testing-time-for-united-nations-sri-lanka\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/testing-time-for-united-nations-sri-lanka\/\",\"name\":\"Testing Time For United Nations & Sri Lanka - 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