Plans To Call For An Independent International Accountability Mechanism
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
Amendments to a US House of Representatives’ resolution on Sri Lanka calling on the Sri Lankan government, the international community and the United Nations to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to look into reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations have been tabled before the House last week.
One of the amendments to the resolution state that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report has failed to adequately address issues of accountability for both the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, for credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
However, the amendments have called on the Government of Sri Lanka to build on its establishment of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and that Commission’s constructive recommendations on issues of paramount importance to Sri Lanka be implemented in a credible, transparent, and expeditious manner.
The amendments have been proposed to resolution No. 177 titled “Expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement and reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting peace.” The amendments have been tabled before the House on September 7.
Representative Michael G. Grimm presented the resolution on March 17, 2011, which was cosponsored by 53 members.
The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 17, 2011 and referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia on March 29, 2011.
Following is the amended resolution presented to the House of Representatives:
(1) Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to build on its establishment of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and that Commission’s constructive recommendations on issues of paramount importance to Sri Lanka in a credible, transparent, and expeditious manner;
(2) Recognizes that the LLRC report failed to adequately address issues of accountability for both the government and the terrorist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, for credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity;
(3) Urges the Government of Sri Lanka, the international community, and the United Nations to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to look into reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka and to make recommendations regarding accountability;
(4) Encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to allow for greater media freedoms and humanitarian organizations, journalists, and international human rights groups greater access to the war-affected, including rehabilitated ex-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadres, and those detained;
(5) Acknowledges the end of the war and calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to go through a process of demilitarization throughout the country; and
(6) Acknowledges the importance for parties to reach a political settlement on the meaningful devolution of power. Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake who visited Sri Lanka last week said that he discussed the need for accelerated progress to implement the recommendations of the LLRC and the National Action Plan.
“I emphasized the importance of progress in reducing the role and profile of the military in the North, and full respect for human rights,” he said. On issues of accountability, Blake said the US hoped that three years after the end of the conflict, there can be a credible and transparent accounting, investigation and prosecution of some of the outstanding and serious allegations of human rights violations, as well as progress on the missing.
“I also urged that the Northern Provincial Council elections be held as soon as possible and encouraged an early resumption of talks between the TNA and the government to agree on powers to be devolved to the provinces,” he said.
US can ask anything from the government of Srilanka. But the sad thing is our government is good at fooling the entire world. We have an elected President. Then we have another un-elected President called Gothabaya Rajapakse. Then we have mouth pieces of this government in the form of Wimal, Kehalia and so on. They all release statements on behalf of this government. £ years have passed since defeating terrorism. We had 3 yearly parties to celebrate the defeat. In between we had various province council election. Mahinda Rajapakse on keep on checing his popularity. Oppostion under Ranil is so weak. Ranil becomes a looser all the time. He doesn’t want to pass the leadership to others. So where do we go from here? The Tamils problems have not resolved for 60 years. What we are doing today is to build budhist temples all over North and East for the army.Is this called democracy?
Dear Minal, Sri
I am saddened that you have bought in to what our opposition leader is stating. 1800 people died from army’s indirect and direct fire during the 3 years of northern fighting. LTTE lost 25,000 people and had no wounded, if you ask any LTTE prisoner (we caught 12,000 of them) they state they had to shoot their wounded because caring for them was a burden and had to follow seniors orders.
The government is doing everything possible besides giving the Tamils a separate state (who through migration has made the North East their so called homeland).
Have you forgotten the period when a family divided in two so the mother or the dad made it safety with the children when they visited a town to avoid numerous bombs and killings by the LTTE terrorists?
BTW ranil is not weak the whole UNP and the opposition is weak because the people see only this type of complaining.
The HRW is infested with LTTE supporters. They did not raise a finger against LTTE when they were brutally killing tamils and others. The tamil community didnt either because LTTE killed those who did oppose them. Whole families wiped out.
Now the LTTE diaspora wants to prosecute the country because there is no more suffering and war.
I say let them come and see, dig up anything they want to, interview anyone, count people, anything….so this so called atrocities could be revealed. By the way combatants were shot during war. Against Terrorists there arnt Geneva conventions rules….we were following U.S lead.
If HRW did not care how did LTTE get banned in the West?Many wish HRW is infested with ltte supporters, because that is easy to be convinced, truth is these people want to escape from the fact the army they stood for committed war crimes..
No one could fool every one ALL the time; the is ripe with penty of material evidence, thanks to modern tecnology.
Unless the citizens of sinking lanka realise and do what’s right, the island will ,along with pakse thugs slide into the ocean.
Ranil’s leaving means handing power outside paddy-board
Ranil can be removed if paddy-board votes him out
So paddy-board in both parties behaving like Nazis
Like Mandela we need to go on a Civil-Rights campaign
US has a Black president, India has a whole host of minority presidents and primeministers
While we are forced to languist in the mud
Take the relic; placed in only Siyampoli temples
(Multy nikaya Gangarama only an after thought with weeks extension)
I mean is this the fascism we want, second class Sinhala citizens ?
Some more concerned about goats, behaving like mice !
You care for the country, but the country dont care for you
Country is paddy-board, every thing is paddy-field
Silly? Exactly, then why this behaviour and why we tolerate?
Unless there are real pressures applied directly by the international community the present government will continue to keep large numbers of mono-ethnic Sinhalese military in Tamil speaking areas and the population in fear psychosis while building Buddhist viharas in the north and east. The government really believes and works to frustrate the IC with the help of paramilitaries by pretending to represent the populace and inviting friendly politicians and diplomats from abroad to wine and dine and in return request them to impress the decision makers.
What goes round must come round.
The pedigree of the pirates is only interested in getting the Chinese out of there.
3 years from now the unpaid ($3.3 trillion) Chinese would be guarding their backside in South China Sea and desperately trying to quell a semi civil war.
Then all the yakkas will be experiencing the rice from the moon style shock of early days.
Well, the writing is on the wall for this third world under developed country and its genocidal government. Sanctions will and must be instituted against this rogue establishment. All lies about development must stop and an international invasion must happen immidiately.
“living the dream in the west”………….sure you are washing white peoples toilets,somewhere in the west !
The US Resolutions are all quite justifiable without which the country stands to continue its past gory internal governance. The elected take all and the electors only get the boot especially if they are minorities. “Change” is crying since a long time.