Sri Lanka: IBAHRI backs Navi Pillays call for United Nations inquiry into alle ed !

ar cri"es and #u"an ri #ts violations

27/02/2014 The International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) urges the U Human Rights !ouncil (U HR!) to esta"lish an in#e$en#ent an# international in%uir& into allege# 'ar crimes an# $ast (iolations o) human rights la' in *ri +an,a as calle# )or "& the Unite# ations (U ) High !ommissioner )or Human Rights- a(i .illa&- in a recentl& $u"lishe# re$ort/ IBAHRI !o0!hair Baroness Helena 1enne#& 2! sai#- 3*ince the en# o) the con)lict "et'een the 4o(ernment o) *ri +an,a an# the +i"eration Tigers o) Tamil 5elam- there has "een a s&stematic #ismantling o) chec,s an# "alances on e6ecuti(e $o'er/ In the a"sence o) an in#e$en#ent 7u#iciar&- the IBAHRI has note# on multi$le occasions the ina"ilit& o) the *ri +an,an legal s&stem to $ro(i#e re#ress )or allege# human rights (iolations an# 'ar crimes/ *he a##e#- 3In light o) this- the IBAHRI )ull& su$$orts the recommen#ations $ut )or'ar# in the re$ort o) the 8))ice o) the U High !ommissioner )or Human Rights- an# strongl& urges the U Human Rights !ouncil- to a#o$t these recommen#ations in the )orthcoming resolution on *ri +an,a/ The Re$ort inclu#es recommen#ations to the *ri +an,an 4o(ernment an# to the U HR!ahea# o) its 29th *ession- :;2< =arch 2014- in 4ene(a- *'it>erlan#- 'here it is #ue to consi#er a resolution on *ri +an,a/ ?rom the a#(ance# e#ite# (ersion o) the re$ort o) the 8))ice o) the Unite# ations High !ommissioner )or Human Rights- entitle#.romoting reconciliation an# accounta"ilit& in *ri +an,a an# #ate# 24 ?e"ruar& 2014- =s .illa& recommen#s that the U HR! 3esta"lish an international in%uir& mechanism to )urther in(estigate the allege# (iolations o) international human rights an# humanitarian la' an# monitor an& #omestic accounta"ilit& $rocesses/ Her ,e& recommen#ations to the 4o(ernment o) *ri +an,a inclu#e@ 3arrest- $rosecute an# $unish $er$etrators o) attac,s on minorit& communities- me#ia an# human rights #e)en#ers- an# ensure $rotection o) (ictimsA 3un#erta,e in#e$en#ent an# cre#i"le criminal an# )orensic in(estigations 'ith international assistance into all allege# (iolations o) human rights an# humanitarian la'- inclu#ing recentl& #isco(ere# mass gra(esA an#

3esta"lish a truth0see,ing mechanism an# national re$arations $olic& in accor#ance 'ith international stan#ar#s as an integral $art o) a more com$rehensi(e an# inclusi(e a$$roach to transitional 7ustice/ International Bar Association 56ecuti(e Birector =ar, 5llis commente#- 3It is note# 'ith immense regret that there has not "een a single success)ul $rosecution )or the numerous attac,s against minorities- 7ournalists an# human rights #e)en#ers in *ri +an,a in relation to the countr&s ci(il 'ar/ He a##e#- 3In or#er )or there to "e sustaina"le $eace in *ri +an,a- it is essential to hol# $ro$er in(estigations an# $rosecutions into the allege# 'ar crimes an# human rights (iolations o) the $ast committe# "& "oth si#es- as 'ell as to esta"lish an in#e$en#ent an# e))ecti(e 7ustice s&stem that $ro$erl& $rotects against- an# $ro(i#es re$aration )or an& )uture (iolations/ Ce are ho$e)ul that the U HR! #e"ate 'ill ta,e the )irst ste$ in esta"lishing accounta"ilit&/ 5 B* otes to the 5#itor
1/The IBAHRI- in colla"oration 'ith the International !ommission o) Durists (I!D)-

$ro#uce# a "rie)ing note on ,e& $oints regar#ing the inca$acit& o) *ri +an,aEs #omestic 7ustice s&stem to $ro(i#e re#ress )or 'ar crimes an# human rights (iolations- an# the nee# to esta"lish an international accounta"ilit& mechanism/ !lic, here to #o'nloa# the IBAHRI/I!D "rie)ing note ; 5nglish language (ersion/ '''/i"anet/org/Bocument/Be)ault/as$6FBocumentUi#G2HBH44000AHBA04??10I!A90 A1BB<!1?4A:4 !lic, here to #o'nloa# the IBAHRI/I!D "rie)ing note ; *$anish language (ersion/ '''/i"anet/org/Bocument/Be)ault/as$6FBocumentUi#GHA7HA2?50HH2704?190B::<0 17I0IB71140I !lic, here to #o'nloa# the IBAHRI/I!D "rie)ing note ; Ara"ic language (ersion/ '''/i"anet/org/Bocument/Be)ault/as$6FBocumentUi#G0!?2B97:0H?0004H!50II:00 2!0:?BA<90?4
2/The Re$ort o) the 8))ice o) the Unite#

ations High !ommissioner )or Human Rights .romoting reconciliation an# accounta"ilit& in *ri +an,a A/HR!/29/2: is a(aila"le to #o'nloa# here/ This ne's release cites the A#(ance# 5#ite# (ersion- 24 ?e"ruar& 2014/
:/The IBAHRI re$ort A !risis o) +egitimac&@ The Im$eachment o) !hie) Dustice

Ban#arana&a,e an# the 5rosion o) the Rule o) +a' in *ri +an,a (A$ril 201:) conclu#e# that the remo(al )rom o))ice in *ri +an,a o) !hie) Dustice Ban#arana&a,e 'as unla')ulis un#ermining $u"lic con)i#ence in the rule o) la'- an# threatening to e(iscerate the countr&s 7u#iciar& as an in#e$en#ent guarantor o) constitutional rights/ The #elegation )oun# there to "e a s&stematic e))ort to intimi#ate an# #iscre#it la'&ers an# others 'ho

a#(ocate an# $romote res$ect )or )un#amental rights in *ri +an,a/ The re$ort ma#e ten recommen#ations- a##resse# to the *ri +an,an authorities an# to the U - the !ommon'ealth *ecretariat- the !ommon'ealth =inisterial Action 4rou$ an# =em"er !ountries o) the !ommon'ealth the #elegation/
4/The International Bar Association (IBA)- esta"lishe# in 1I47- is the 'orl#s lea#ing

organisation o) international legal $ractitioners- "ar associations an# la' societies/ Through its glo"al mem"ershi$ o) in#i(i#ual la'&ers- la' )irms- "ar associations an# la' societies it in)luences the #e(elo$ment o) international la' re)orm an# sha$es the )uture o) the legal $ro)ession throughout the 'orl#/ The IBAs a#ministrati(e o))ice is in +on#on/ Regional o))ices are locate# in@ *Jo .auloBra>ilA *eoul- *outh 1oreaA an# Cashington B!- U*- 'hile the International Bar Associations International !riminal !ourt .rogramme (IBA I!!) is manage# )rom an o))ice in The Hague/ The International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) 'or,s to $romote- $rotect an# en)orce human rights un#er a 7ust rule o) la'- an# to $reser(e the in#e$en#ence o) the 7u#iciar& an# the legal $ro)ession 'orl#'i#e/ ?or )urther in)ormation $lease contact@ Romana *t/ =atthe' 0 Baniel .ress 8))ice International Bar Association 4th ?loor- 10 *t Bri#e *treet+on#on 5!4A 4AB =o"ile@ K44 (0)7I40 7:1 I19 Birect +ine@ K44 (0)20 7<42 00I4 =ain 8))ice@ K44 (0)20 7<42 00I0 ?a6@ K44 (0)20 7<42 00I1 5mail@ romana/#anielLint0"ar/org Ce"site@ '''/i"anet/org

Related Taxonomy
2014- Asia .aci)ic- IBAHRI- .ress release- *ri +an,a