As the United Nations Human Rights Council votes on yet another resolution on Sri Lanka, students at the University of Jaffna said the move “completely ignored” calls demanding international accountability for “atrocity crimes committed against the Tamil people".
In a statement released the day before the UN vote, the University Students’ Union at the University of Jaffna said their hopes of justice for atrocity crimes “were dashed by this resolution”.
“This resolution does not exhibit any knowledge or understanding of the atrocity crimes committed against the Tamil people including the suffering and trauma Tamils faced,” the union said, adding that if “failed to address the atrocities Tamils encountered for several decades”.
“By not holding security forces to account, this Resolution is also showing the green
light to security forces stationed in Tamil areas to commit atrocities against Tamils without hesitation, knowing well that they will not be held accountable for any future atrocities they will commit” the statement continued. “We like to point out that the soldiers who killed thousands of Tamils and raped hundreds of Tamil women are the same soldiers still stationed in Tamil areas among Tamils including among their victims.”
The students also highlighted the calls from a range of Tamil civil society organisations and politicians calling for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court, including from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
By ignoring that demand, the resolution “also chose to ignore the pain, suffering, and trauma of the victims and the Tamil community” it concluded.
Read the full statement below.
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