Fri, 3 June, 2011 14:08:36

[Tamil_

For Immediate Release

June 3, 2011

UN Human Rights Council must Act Now

Channel 4 airs more video evidence of war crimes

Palais de Nations, United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland

Allegations of War Crimes against the Sri Lankan government have once again been substantiated with the premiere of a Channel 4 Documentary entitled “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. These new images reiterate the conclusions of the Report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka on March 31, 2011.

“The world has stood by and watched the murder of tens and thousands of innocent Tamil civilians. This documentary shows the vile and humiliating end to the lives of so many in the final days of the war in Sri Lanka. Summary executions, sexual violence, and disrespect for dead men, women and children is revolting. It is heart wrenching and a devastating reminder of our collective failure to stop this tragedy “ stated Gary Anandasangaree, Sri Lanka Monitor of Lawyer’s Rights Watch Canada and delegate to the current session of the Human Rights Council.

Two years after the end of the war, Sri Lanka is fast escalating into an authoritarian state, with national institutions unable to act as fair and neutral arbiters of its failures. The Sri Lankan government has failed to demonstrate any good will towards genuine reconciliation with its minority populations. Accordingly, Tamil areas are being populated with non-Tamils in order to render them numerical minorities in their own regions. Their regions have been militarized with twenty six new military camps being set up in the Vanni region alone. Over 12,000 alleged LTTE combatants are being held in detention without charge, right to counsel, and access to family since at least May 2009. Likewise, over 25,000 Tamils continue to languish in IDP camps. The only accessible remedy for victims of war, namely the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission was appointed by the

President of Sri Lanka himself and does not hold the mandate to investigate the number of heinous crimes committed by both sides during the final stages of the war. Simultaneously, the democratic institutions of the country are in the process of being hollowed out from the inside by rendering them futile in the interest of a limitless authoritarian Presidential rule of the country.

Gary Anandasangaree added “Sri Lanka must now be held to account – it cannot be allowed to dupe the international community once again in circumventing its obligations under international law.” The Panel Report specifically calls upon the HRC to reconsider the draft resolution put forward by the European Union, which was dismissed in favour of the Government of Sri Lanka’s resolution that commended the Sri Lankan Government’s conduct of war; this effectively encourages other Government’s to be entitled to implement similar policies of warfare.

“This Session of the Human Rights Council must act decisively and send strong messages to countries like Sri Lanka that the United Nations and its members take human rights seriously, and those who grossly violate these rights will be brought to justice” Anandasangaree concluded.

The Canadian Tamil Congress reiterates the need for the Human Rights Council to adopt the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s POE Report at this session of the Council in Geneva.

For further information, please contact David Poopalapillai, National Spokesperson at 416-240-0078 or david@canadiantamilcongress.ca