Sweden Silent On Abuse Allegations
By Cassandra Mascarenhas
Continuous calls by the Sri Lankan Government to Swedish representatives in both Geneva and Colombo seeking substantiated evidence on allegations made by them that forces were abusing women and children have been met with silence, Human Rights Ministry Secretary Rajiva Wijesinha told The Sunday Leader.
“This non responsiveness speaks volumes. In general they seem victims of diaspora pressure,” he said.
Commenting on last week’s US State Department report given to Congress, Wijesinha quoting the general government position said that any credible or plausible allegations of human rights violations will be looked into, though vague generalisations cannot be treated as anything more.
“I would assume the US report does not fall into the latter category, so as a general principle it would merit discussion,” Wijesinha said.
The report details incidents that allegedly occurred during the final months of the conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE that may constitute violations of international humanitarian law or crimes against humanity and related harms.
The lankan delegation to the UN Human Rights council last year,when sri lanka was voted out of the Council,assured the council that indictments had been filed against more than 600 members of the armed forces and police for human rights violations.So far,there is no news about these cases.
The UN expelled 108 lankan ‘peacekeepers’ from Haiti for sexual abuse of haitian females,mostly childern. So far, no indictments have been filed against them.
Will Rajiva Wijesinha explain?
Rajiva can not give a proper answer to the questions already posted by various human rights organizations and people, who have raised hundreds of cases, were ministry of defense and armed forces have committed crimes against innocent Tamil people. These crimes were committed under the guise of fighting against terrorism in the North and East of the country. There were 14 high profile cases against the government of Sri Lanka and it’s armed forces that were trusted to an team of legal experts headed by the former Chief Justice of India, could not be taken up by them for investigation as a result of lack of support and help from Sri Lankan government and the Attorney General’s Office. Finally they had to wind up their work and left the country with out accomplishing their task of investigating the crimes committed by the defense forces, with the connivance of the ministry of defense and the government. Rajiva Wijesinha what do have to say for this? The Swedish representatives in both Geneva and Colombo from whom you were seeking substantiated evidence on allegations made by them that forces were abusing women and children, have been met with silence because they know, even if they provide you with the substantiated evidence, you are not going to do any thing to bring the officers of the armed forces to the court and file a case against them. Your President has many occasions said this openly that he will not allow anyone locally of internationally to take anyone in his armed forces to the courts for fighting against the terrorism. So what is the point of wasting their time and effort to respond to you?
Will anyone in the government answer why independent journalists and rights groups were barred from the war zone? They are allowed in all the other conflicts in other parts of the world. That shows the government and armed forces had and still have some thing or many things to hide.
US State Department has listed 170 war crimes alleged to have been committed by the armed forces between 2nd and 18th of May, why doesn’t the government agree to an independent probe by UN so that accusations and denials can be stopped once and for all.
Otherwise there will be more and more accusations by the international community and rights groups and more and more denials by the government. There will be an independent probe but earlier is better and time and energy wasted on denials can be utilised for the benefit of the country.
Dear Justitia
What about other countries who have abused human rights. For instance USA abducted people suspected of having terrorist links. All the foreign forces in Iraq have violated human rights. Peace keeping forces stationed in various african countries have been accused of HR violations and criminal activities and expelled by the UN hence why should only Sri Lanka should provide explanations. For instance US is protecting all their soldiers form prosecution when fighting against the Global terrorism. Pls get themn to explain as they are the protectors of HR
the unwritten policies of european nations of discounting the establishment and believing the under dogs will bite them back when it is least expected.
atrpcities may have been committed but holding the entire nation or the entire security forces responsible is not realistic, however it is politically and publicity wise quite expedient. generals cannot be held accountable to the actions of privates unless said privates were carrying out specific orders that have been generated and ONLY if multiple sources can attest to said orders.
its always easy to cry murder, but not always easy to prove it. the burden of proof belongs to the accusers, not the defendants. isn’t that what democracy and human rights all about?