DAMNING VIDEO FOOTAGE ON SRI LANKA SENDS SHOCK WAVES IN GENEVA

Channel 4 Killing Fields Premiered To UNHRC

By Janith Aranze

Director of Killing Fields, Callum Macrae

In a sensational twist following the damning UN Panel Report on Sri Lanka, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Friday, June 3 was shown video footage compiled by Britain’s Channel 4 television network, as evidence of government troops executing Tamil prisoners during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war against the LTTE in 2009.

The one hour documentary titled Killing Fields was screened in Geneva to the UNHRC on Friday at 11:00 a.m. It showed disturbing footage captured on mobile phones of the extra-judicial executions of prisoners, the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps and dead female LTTE fighters who, according to a description provided by Channel 4, states that the women appear to have been raped or sexually assaulted and abused before being murdered.

The film also showed horrific atrocities carried out by the LTTE who used civilians as human shields as government troops closed in on Tiger held territory.

The Geneva session was attended by a delegation of four government representatives from Sri Lanka; Minister of Plantations and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition  Nimal Siripala De Silva, Attorney General Mohan Peiris and Head of Sri Lanka’s mission at the UN in Geneva, Kshenuka Seneviratne.

Director of Killing Fields, Callum Macrae, told The Sunday Leader that government representatives immediately rubbished the film. Macrae said, “They criticised the film and continued to insist that the video footage shown was not authentic. They claimed that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) are investigating these issues and that everything will be fine in the end.” He insisted however, the government has no basis to doubt the footage.  “The film has been absolutely, vigorously authenticated, not just by UN experts but by independent forensic pathologists and video experts we hired to examine the footage.  Both experts have concluded there is no reason to doubt the footage,” Macrae said.

Elaborating further, Macrae said that the whole meeting lasted approximately two hours, with him answering questions at the end.  “The whole meeting went on for around 2 hours, the room was packed, people expressed real, genuine shock at what they had seen.  It was one of the most fascinating meetings I’ve ever been a part of,” he stated, adding, “the government tried to fight a war without witnesses, however they did not account for satellite images and mobile phones.”

In light of this new evidence, Macrae stressed the need for the UN and the international community to act upon it. “The international community cannot turn its back on Sri Lanka, this evidence needs to be acted upon otherwise it leaves potential for future tragedies to occur,” he asserted.

Early last week, Seneviratne expressed her displeasure to the UNHRC at the way the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay has continually referred to the UN Panel’s report, which she claims is based on ‘unverified information.’

“The High Commissioner unbecomingly deems it appropriate to call for action on the recommendations of the said report, which are based on unverified information and also un-sourced, and would remain so for the next 20 years,” Seneviratne stated to the UN session in Geneva. She went onto claim that the policies of the Sri Lankan government are based exclusively on the welfare of its citizens. Seneviratne said, “The policies of the government are solely based on ensuring the welfare of its people and therefore

is well aware of its responsibilities