• ‘Time has now clearly come for international action’ – UK

    Mar 02
    Last updated: 15:25 GMT

    The United Kingdom made a clear call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to support an independent investigation on Sri Lanka, stating that     "the time has now clearly come for international action, with regard to Sri Lanka," and expressed hope that "the Human Rights Council can unite to support the call for an independent investigation."
     
  • Canada declares support for international inquiry on Sri Lanka
    Canada pledged its support for an international inquiry mechanism to investigate human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, at the UN Human Rights Council's 25th session that began earlier today.

    Speaking on the opening day, Lynne Yelich, the Canadian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Consular, said,

    “In the absence of credible actions by the Government of Sri Lanka, Canada supports the call for an international inquiry mechanism.”

  • Draft Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka leaked

    Published 18:31 GMT

    A draft resolution calling for reconciliation, accountability and respect for human rights in Sri Lanka, was leaked at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session today.

  • ‘Accountability is the only way for stability’ - EU on Sri Lanka
    Addressing the UN Human Rights Council earlier today, the European Union called for accountability in Sri Lanka, stating it was the “only way for stability” on the island.

    Dimitris Kourkoulas, Greece’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, addressed the Council on behalf of the EU, stating, 
    “Facing our past is a vital component of ensuring a stable and peaceful future.”
    “In Sri Lanka, where the High Commissioner has just issued her report, it is vital that the full truth of past events is made known and accountability be pursued, for this is the only way for stability.”
  • Tamil Christian clergy reiterate need for international investigation

    Over two hundred members of the Tamil Christian clergy from North-East including the Bishop of Mannar, wrote to members of the UN Human Rights Council today, demanding an international investigation into Sri Lanka’s war crimes and human rights violations.

    “Tamil Christian Clergy from North-East Sri Lanka call; for an international investigation mechanism from the UN Human Rights Council," said the clergy in a letter sent to the UNHRC.

  • UNP: 'no one can take the President before any international tribunal'
    Sri Lanka's opposition party, the UNP, reiterated its support for the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government today, stressing that 'no one can take the President of the country or any other before an international tribunal since Sri Lanka is not signatory to the Rome Convention of 2012', reported Colombo Page.
  • Tamil Nadu students call on Delhi to support international investigation in Sri Lanka
    Students at Nanthanam Arts College

    In a number of separate protests, students in Tamil Nadu took to the streets demonstrating against the Central government's failure to lead the call for the international investigation into allegations of mass atrocities in the final stages of the armed conflict, whilst others also went onto to demand a referendum to be held on an independent state of Tamil Eelam.

    Tamil Youths & Students Federation and Progressive Students Front

  • Draft resolution is a 'disappointing start' says TAG
    Commenting on the draft UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka released today, the rights group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), said it was "disappointing start both for Tamil victims/survivors and for INGOs who have campaigned for a International Investigation into Sri Lanka's mass atrocities of 2009 to be established at this 25th session of the Human Rights Council."

  • Draft UNHRC resolution fails to offer meaningful progress - CTC
    The draft resolution tabled today at the opening session of the UN Human Rights Council on Sri Lanka "falls short" said Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) in a statement released this evening.

    Calling on the Council to take "decisive action", CTC said that the draft resolution "fails to offer any meaningful progress towards accountability, let alone reconciliation."

    CTC added,
    "The proposed resolution effectively mutes the chorus of calls for an International Commission of Inquiry, and instead continues to give Sri Lanka time and space. The proposal appears to seek the High Commissioner’s assistance in undertaking an investigation, however, it does not give her the mandate, resources, or direction to investigate and make a legal finding of fact."
  • Strong calls for international investigation on first day of HRC session

    Opening of Human Rights Council 25th Session (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

    Calls for an independent investigation into crimes in Sri Lanka featured strongly on the first day of the 25th UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.

  • India downplays Mahinda meeting

    The Indian government said today that the meeting between Manmohan Singh and Mahinda Rajapaksa may occur “only on the sidelines” of the BIMSTEC summit in Burma, and that it would not be an exclusive meeting; PTI quoted Union Minister V Narayanasamy.

  • SL minister calls for unity against moves for sanctions
    Sri Lankan officials today, reiterated that they were ready to face any challenge and allegations tabled against Sri Lanka, and urged the country to be united in the event of attempts by the United States to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka.
  • Army denies involvement in Mullaitivu grave
    The Sri Lankan army has denied involvement in the recently unearthed grave in Mullaitivu arguing that there was an "an attempt to use these premature conclusions to support their claims for an international investigation which is not really necessary" 

    The Northern Province's Minister T. Raviharan of the TNA had said local residents believed many more graves existed in the area.

    Speaking to the Reuters news agency, acting judicial medical officer Sinnaiyah Sivaruban said,
    "We have found nine skeletons of mostly women with burn injuries,"

    "Three local people have said the bodies were dumped in this land on February 9, 2009, after they were killed in an army multi-barrel shell attack, and that there is another mass grave 200 meters from this. But we don't know the truth."
  • Tamils demand international investigation into political prisoner death
    Tamils demonstrated in Jaffna today, demanding an international investigation into the death of the Tamil political prisoner, and British citizen, Gopithas, in a Sri Lankan prison last week.

    Photo:Tamilwin
     
    Calling for an international investigation into the death, Tamils demanded wider accountability for all enforced disappearances, as well as the de-militarisation of the North-East and for the Tamil people’s right to self-determination to be respected.
  • Sinhala parties unite against SLMC over report to UN Human Rights chief
    Two parties from the ruling government coalition have campaigned against another government partner, the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC), after reports that the party leader Rauf Hakeem had handed over a report to UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay detailing attacks on Muslims.
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