FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2012
U.N. Resolution against Sri Lanka
Human Rights Advocacy Council
Today, the 47 member state Human Rights Council body of the United Nations passed a U.S. drafted resolution (A/HRC/19/L.2/Rev1) that calls upon the Government of Sri Lanka to implement recommendations made in its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report.
The resolution stated that Sri Lanka is required to take necessary steps to ensure justice, accountability, and reconciliation. As well, the Government of Sri Lanka has been requested to submit an action plan on steps it has taken and steps it will take in the near future in encouraging reconciliation and addressing violations of international law.
Human Rights Advocacy Council of Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) views this resolution as a step in moving towards accountability. The Human Rights Advocacy Council would also like to thank the Canadian Government’s strong lead in co-sponsoring the resolution. Canada states the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission is an important contribution if the Government of Sri Lanka fully implements its recommendation and adopts an implementation rap map with clear timelines. However, the LLRC does not fully address accountability for events that took place in the final phase of the conflict, including the allegations and recommendations outlined by the UN Secretary-General Panel of Experts. We also note that after three years since the end of the war, the inaction of the Government of Sri Lanka on investigating the findings of its report or the U.N Panel of Experts report indicates the necessity of an independent third body to ensure credibility in assessing the allegations of severe crimes against humanity.
The United Nations stated that “the Council notes with concern that the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission of Sri Lanka does not adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law” [1]. The recommendations in the LLRC report are inadequate in facilitating a complete reconciliation process for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. When the perpetrators of crimes against humanity are investigating their own atrocities, it is highly questionable as to whether such a process would be legitimate and unbiased. This is why the recommendations made in the LLRC report are only a step in the pursuit for justice, not the path itself.
Furthermore, the report is flawed in identifying the responsibility of the Government in protecting civilians as well as addressing the military’s alleged crimes against humanity during the end of the civil war in 2009 that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians. As such, the United Nations’ Human Rights Council should strictly continue to monitor the progress by the Government of Sri Lanka and take more steps in ensuring that it serves its purpose in promoting and protecting human rights of all.
References:
[1] http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12001&LangID=E
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