The resolution on Sri Lanka, passed at the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday, "falls short" of ensuring the international justice mechanism long demanded by Tamils, the advocacy group PEARL said in a press release on Friday.
Welcoming the OISL report, the US-based organisation said the recommendations, highlighting Sri Lanka's inability to conduct a credible inquiry on its own, were not heeded in the drafting of the resolution.
"Despite the robust investigation conducted by the High Commissioner’s office and detailed recommendations which emphasize Sri Lanka’s inability to conduct a credible domestic inquiry, Resolution A/HRC/30/L29, passed yesterday by the UN Human Rights Council, falls short of ensuring an international accountability mechanism, consistently demanded by Tamil victims over the past 6 years," the statement said.
PEARL said Sri Lanka's past and current conduct demonstrated the lack of political will to implement a meaningful accountability mechanism, and called on the co-sponsors of the resolution, to ensure that said mechanism is satisfactory to all communities.
"The government’s past and present record, with credible reports of ongoing torture and sexual violence, makes the Council’s call for Sri Lanka to lead the accountability process one which could come at a tremendous risk to Tamils who participate, and may indeed keep victims from participating. As Resolution 30/L29 places the onus on Sri Lanka to deliver genuine accountability, co-sponsors are responsible for ensuring this is done in a manner satisfactory to all communities. The welfare of victims who, despite all skepticism, participate in a government-organized mechanism, hoping to see the punishment of those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide must be guaranteed," PEARL said.
"PEARL urges the international community to continue to closely monitor ongoing abuses and the development of the judicial mechanism. If Sri Lanka fails to deliver on its promises regarding accountability, guarantees of non-recurrence, and a political solution, the international community must be prepared to take decisive action on behalf of long-suffering Tamil victims,"
See full statement here.
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