Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday defended his government’s decision to reject an investigation into alleged war crimes during the country ‘s civil war which ended in May 2009. The ATC called for passing a resolution that will work towards establishing justice and bringing closure for victims and survivors in Sri Lanka.
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The letter concluded by stating “we must stand steadfast in our support for human rights around the world – the USA has an obligation to ensure the atrocities that occurred are not repeated”. He said the nature of the investigative mechanism had not been decided, but the government was working on the contours of a domestic mechanism.
Maithripala Sirisena, who replaced him as president, might even be sucked in; he was acting as defence minister during the last two weeks of the battle, when tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed. But Tamil leaders feel Sirisena’s moves are only symbolic aimed at warding off economic sanctions and Western pressure for an global inquiry into the war atrocities. But some feel the government has got off easily and say it is pandering to Sinhalese nationalists, who see inviting in foreign investigators as an affront to sovereignty.
The report also pointed to extensive human rights abuses by the LTTE, whose agenda of Tamil separatism represents the interests of the island’s Tamil elites, not the Tamil workers and rural poor.
Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a statement echoed the thoughts of the Tamil minority vis-a-vis the report.
The new Sri Lankan government has “a very strong intent” in addressing rights concerns, a top Obama Administration official said, calling for a “credible domestic” probe with “substantial involvement” from worldwide community to address justice and accountability.
“Based on the information (the investigation) has compiled, there are reasonable grounds to believe that members of the security forces committed the extrajudicial executions of the ACF staff”, the report said. It insisted that the “domestic” judicial system in Sri Lanka was not sufficient, given the impunity with which the armed forces and police have operated. I also take this opportunity to greet the Ambassador of the U.S. to Sri Lanka Mr. Atul Keshap who is here with us today.
Outlining various positive steps taken by Sri Lanka’s new government since January, Aryasinha called for a process where his country will be helped to achieve its will for reconciliation in a holistic approach. Moreover, as the report makes clear, the entire police-state apparatus still exists.
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In the next period, as the new government implements its austerity agenda, such repressive “structures” will indeed be reactivated to suppress workers and the poor seeking to defend their jobs and living standards.
