The After March Noose

By Veluppillai Thangavelu -February 17, 2014

Veluppillai Thangavelu

After March The Noose Likely To Tighten Around The Necks Of The Sri Lanka Military Hierarchy

All eyes are on Geneva. Only 3 weeks are left for the opening of 25th Sessions of the UNHRC.  The 25th Sessions of the UNHCR is scheduled to be held from March 03 – 28 at Palais des Nations, Geneva.

It is now certain the US will move its 3rd resolution against Sri Lanka calling for an international investigation against war crimes, crimes against humanity committed by Sri Lanka during the last phases of the war in May, 2009.  It is likely Britain and Canada might co-sponsor the resolution. This resolution has been necessitated due to the failure on the part of the Sri Lankan government to implement the resolutions passed in 2012 and 2013 by an overwhelming majority of members.

The US resolution adopted by the UNHCR on March 21, 2013 was more aggressive than the one passed in 2012.  The March 2012 resolution only called on Sri Lanka to implement effectively the constructive recommendations made in the report of the LLRC and to take all necessary additional steps to fulfill its relevant legal obligations and commitment to initiate credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity, accountability and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans.  The resolution adopted in March, 2013 signified a hardening of the international community’s stance on human rights issues in Sri Lanka.  There was a shift away from a focus on reconciliation to a focus on accountability for past human rights violations and war crimes.

The 2013 resolution noted the call made by the UN High Commissioner for an independent and credible international investigation into alleged violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. The resolution also stated that it “Encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations made in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner, and also calls upon the Government to conduct an independent and credible investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law as applicable.”

Sri Lankan government response                                  Read More