Aftermath Of CHOGM 2013: Will There Be Justice For The victims?

By G.K. Nathan -November 26, 2013 |

Dr. G. K. Nathan

There were worldwide calls from International human right organizations, human right activists, a large number of media and Tamil diaspora to boycott Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka. The boycott call was in response to the failure of President Rajapaksa to take action for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity that occurred under his regime. The Rajapaksa regime is continuing to ignore the need for accountability even after repeated calls, also failed to implement all the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions passed at the 19^thsession in March 2012 and 22^nd session in March 2013. President Rajapaksa succeeded in his second attempt to hold CHOGM in Sri Lanka, after three decades long armed conflict ended four years ago in May 2009; the expectation to attend to alleged charges was not met by Sri Lanka. Late attempt to change the CHOGM venue was also not successful; three countries Canada, India and Mauritius decided to boycott the CHOGM in Sri Lanka. Of the 53 members of CHOGM, only 24 Heads of government attended, the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron attended CHOGM, against opposition from various quarters in the country; but said that he will “shine a spotlight on the situation in Sri Lanka”.  He said “No Fire Zone” a recent documentary on war crimes and crimes against humanity that had occurred during the last stages of the conflict has had an impact. True to his words he stood in ‘the lion’s den’ and publicly forewarned that failure in the next four months to positively respond to the call and conduct an independent investigation in Sri Lanka, the UK as a member of the UNHRC will put forward a proposal for an Independent International Inquiry at the 25^th session of UNHRC in March 2014. The same message was conveyed to the President Rajapaksa when Prime Minister David Cameron, privately met the President.  The President’s reaction at a media interview at CHOGM was, “it is an internal matter and it is nobody’s business” and as well as “people living in glass houses should not throw stones”.

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