The United States State Department is preparing a report on war crimes committed by Sri Lanka to be presented to the US Congress next week, local media in Colombo reported quoting US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Stephen Rapp.
Stephen Rapp, US's ambassdor at large for War Crimes Issues (WCI) told Time magazine that his office is responsible "to collect information on ongoing atrocities... [and] give a signal [when] something serious is occuring."
“There are situations that have already been handed to us. There is a report from the Department of State on the war in Sri Lanka due in Congress on September 21. Additionally the office, together with the Secretary for Global Affairs and the Secretary of State, has the responsibility to collect information on ongoing atrocities and it is then the responsibility of the President to determine what steps might be taken towards justice. Like the canary in the coalmine, we give the signal that something very serious is occurring,” Rapp was quoted as in a response to a question posed by the Time magazine.
With United Nations remaining impotent to act carry out investigations into the conduct of Sri Lanka military during the last several months of the war, the report to be released by the United States State Department on September 21, remains, perhaps the last credible instrument in the hands of the West to begin to find the truth on the allegations of war-crimes by the Sri Lanka Government and the Liberation Tigers, a spokesperson for a US-based activist group said.
Whilst rights groups and Tamils, inside and outside Sri Lanka, want an international probe into Sri Lanka’s actions, the Sri Lankan government wants the international community to ignore its human rights violations and mistreatment of refugees and, instead, help it rebuild after the end of the war.
When Time asked Ambassador Rapp "if the requirements of peace get in the way of justice?" the Ambassador responded "I think we've learned that contrary to fears, holding people accountable for atrocities does not make the problem worse, it makes it better. When Milosevic was indicted for ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, people were convinced that they would never have peace and he would be worse than ever. Within a short time he was charged and jailed in his own country.
"Justice is a necessary ingredient to the establishment of peace. There's always an argument that justifies doing nothing, but you can't defer it forever," Rapp said.
In the amendment 1169 to H.R. 2346, an Act making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, U.S. Senators had earlier proposed to "prohibit certain forms of financial support to Sri Lanka," unless certification is made by the Secretary of State that "Sri Lanka has taken certain steps to address the humanitarian situation in areas affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka."
The forthcoming war-crimes report from the US State Department is mandated by the above Act.
Stephen Rapp, US's ambassdor at large for War Crimes Issues (WCI) told Time magazine that his office is responsible "to collect information on ongoing atrocities... [and] give a signal [when] something serious is occuring."
“There are situations that have already been handed to us. There is a report from the Department of State on the war in Sri Lanka due in Congress on September 21. Additionally the office, together with the Secretary for Global Affairs and the Secretary of State, has the responsibility to collect information on ongoing atrocities and it is then the responsibility of the President to determine what steps might be taken towards justice. Like the canary in the coalmine, we give the signal that something very serious is occurring,” Rapp was quoted as in a response to a question posed by the Time magazine.
With United Nations remaining impotent to act carry out investigations into the conduct of Sri Lanka military during the last several months of the war, the report to be released by the United States State Department on September 21, remains, perhaps the last credible instrument in the hands of the West to begin to find the truth on the allegations of war-crimes by the Sri Lanka Government and the Liberation Tigers, a spokesperson for a US-based activist group said.
Whilst rights groups and Tamils, inside and outside Sri Lanka, want an international probe into Sri Lanka’s actions, the Sri Lankan government wants the international community to ignore its human rights violations and mistreatment of refugees and, instead, help it rebuild after the end of the war.
When Time asked Ambassador Rapp "if the requirements of peace get in the way of justice?" the Ambassador responded "I think we've learned that contrary to fears, holding people accountable for atrocities does not make the problem worse, it makes it better. When Milosevic was indicted for ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, people were convinced that they would never have peace and he would be worse than ever. Within a short time he was charged and jailed in his own country.
"Justice is a necessary ingredient to the establishment of peace. There's always an argument that justifies doing nothing, but you can't defer it forever," Rapp said.
In the amendment 1169 to H.R. 2346, an Act making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, U.S. Senators had earlier proposed to "prohibit certain forms of financial support to Sri Lanka," unless certification is made by the Secretary of State that "Sri Lanka has taken certain steps to address the humanitarian situation in areas affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka."
The forthcoming war-crimes report from the US State Department is mandated by the above Act.
