Independent report accuses UN of complicity in covering up war crimes

An independent report compiled from the accounts of twelve United Nations humanitarian workers during the last phases of the war  accused the United Nation’s  of inaction, failure to speak out and willingness to comply with the Sri Lankan government’s rights violations. The report, published on TamilNet, was written by Julian Vigo, an independent volunteer that was not politically or economically tied to any organisation, who had never visited Sri Lanka. Identifying some of the twelve witnesses by name, the report described how the witnesses “resigned their posts, stating they could not ethically continue working in a capacity which was creating civilian deaths.” The report outlined several violations, stating that, “the Sri Lankan government policy of blocking supplies to the north, under the auspices of stopping all rebel supplies throughout the conflict was utilised as the government’s cover for starving the civilian population.” Depicting the inaction of the UN amidst evident rights violations, the report discussed how “the UNHCR was aware that the Sri Lankan army engaged in human rights atrocities in violation of the security resolution 1612 as villages were destroyed and schools and hospitals attacked” Summarising the findings from all twelve UN informants, Vigo added to the report, “The consensus from every single informant with whom i spoke to on this subject is that many of the 20,000 dead in the final months was due to the failure in the system of Resolution 1612 reports and their follow up. There was a moral bankruptcy, according to every informant, of UNICEF’s and UNHCR’s role in keeping information of the atrocities marginalised and silenced while conterminously appeasing the Sri Lankan government.”