The Archbishop Desmond Tutu urged the United Nations to establish a Commission of Inquiry in a joint letter to the UN, written together with other international human rights activists and notable Tamil voices from the North-East.
The letter, published in the South African journal, Mail & Guardian, two days after a draft resolution tabled at the UN fell short of calling for a CoI, expressed concern, stating,
"We, concerned individuals and organisations from around the world, urge the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to use their March 2014 session to pass a resolution that will include a commitment to an independent international investigation in the form of a commission of inquiry in Sri Lanka. Only this will help put the country on the path to justice and reconciliation."
The letter, which was signed by activists worldwide, also included one of the three authors of the UN Panel of Experts report, Yasmin Sooka, the Tamil civil society activist, the Bishop of Mannar Rt. Reverend Rayappu Joseph, the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, CV. Wigneswaran, and the leader of the TNA R. Sampanthan.
Dismissing the Sri Lankan government's claims that "attempts to set up an international inquiry in Sri Lanka come exclusively from the West, and represent a form of imperialism," the authors wrote,
"The Sri Lankan government claims that attempts to set up an international inquiry in Sri Lanka come exclusively from the West, and represent a form of imperialism. Not so. Many of us come from countries that have also seen conflict, and attempts at reconciliation after it. We know Sri Lanka is going to need help from the international community to get back on track. Standing in solidarity with the many Sri Lankans who feel their government is making a mistake, we urge the United Nations to establish a commission of inquiry"
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