Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement during the 17th session of the Human Rights Council on the 6th June 2011 calling on the UNHRC to work towards accountability for alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka with no further delay.
Citing the report released by the Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, HRW highlighted the damning lack of progress by Sri Lanka on accountability or justice, and reiterated the irrefutable need for an independent international investigation.
"This report and all its recommendations should be seriously considered. It is a careful and professional study written by three internationally recognized experts. Last week, Chris Heyns, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, reported to this council that war crimes had been committed during the final months of the war. Four independent experts concluded that a horrific video allegedly showing government soldiers executing prisoners in cold blood is authentic. Significantly, the government itself had reported that its forces killed one of the dead women in the video, directly implicating its 53rdDivision in the executions."
"Among the report's recommendations is the call to create an independent international mechanism to conduct investigations into alleged violations by both sides. Regrettably, the Sri Lankan government has dismissed the report with a blanket denial."
"It is time for the Human Rights Council to take steps to ensure accountability for crimes committed by both sides during Sri Lanka's armed conflict."
See full statement here
