Human Rights Day 2010

Human Rights Day 2010: Time to Establish International War Crime inquiry in Sri Lanka

The promotion and protection of human rights has been a major challenge  for the United Nations since 1945, when the Organization’s founding nations resolved that the horrors of The Second World War should never be allowed to recur. 

Respect for human rights and human dignity “is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”, the General Assembly declared three years later in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

On the eve of Human Rights Day on December 10, 2010, the President of the CWVHR, Mr. Anton Philip says the Sri Lankan Human rights situation illustrates the dangers and abuse to which the people of the Nation are subjected.

In the recent days, numerous credible evidences emerging to point a serious breach of International law amounting to a war crime in Sri Lanka. In a report, WAR CRIMES IN SRI LANKA, the International Crisis Group said, “The scale of civilian deaths and suffering demands a response. Peace in Sri Lanka requires some measure of justice. An UN-sponsored international inquiry should be the first step in producing a comprehensive and credible record of the final months of Sri Lanka’s war.”

In a report on December 8, 2010, the Human rights Watch said, “The New evidence links the Sri Lankan army’s 53 Division to the alleged summary execution of prisoners on May 18, 2009, during the final hours of the 26-year armed conflict in Sri Lanka. Human Rights Watch repeated its call for the United Nations to undertake a full investigation into wartime abuses. This horrific new evidence demonstrates graphically that the Sri Lankan army engaged in summary executions of prisoners during the final days of fighting in May 2009,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government’s failure to investigate these serious war crimes in the face of overwhelming evidence shows the need for an independent, international investigation.”

The Elders in a statement in May said, “The Elders believe an independent, international inquiry, with the ability to gather evidence within the country, is the best option. We hope this will be the recommendation of the expert panel due to be set up to advise the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon.”

On this year’s human rights day, the CWVHR  urging the UN and all other human rights defenders to work together and establish an independent International Investigation on the Sri Lankan war crimes, without further delay and bring justice to the affected population. A public forum is organized by CWVHR to commemorate the International Human Rights Day at Scarborough Civic Centre on December 10^th from 7.00 p.m. to 9.00 pm