UN asks Lanka to get transitional justice house in order

Sri Lanka's transnational justice policy to deal with allegations of war crimes during decades- long civil war has been deeply polarised and politicised, a special UN rapporteur today said as he urged the government to adopt a clear timeline to address the issue.
Concluding his two-week visit to Sri Lanka for the second time after a government invitation extended, UN Rapporteur on promotion of truth, justice reparation and guarantees of non- recurrence, Pablo de Greiff, said the country should adopt a transitional justice strategy with clear timeline for implementation.
Recalling his previous visit in 2015, he said, "The process is nowhere close to where it should have been."

He told reporters that many issues he highlighted during his last visit remain unaddressed.
"In a highly polarised context the absence of a comprehensive plan that includes provisions for the satisfaction of the rights to truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence has left transitional justice an easy target to attack."
He said that transitional justice at the end of over three-decade armed campaign by the LTTE should be of interest, and in any case is meant to protect the rights of all the people of the country.

"Transitional justice processes are nothing like witch hunts, they do not involve massive purges, and do not trade on charges of collective responsibility or guilt by association," he was quoted as saying by the Sunday Times.

UN Rapporteur Grieff also expressed concerns over the recent use of rhetoric such as "war heroes will never be brought to trial" by senior government ministers.
"This seems to me to misrepresent the target of transitional justice accountability measures by suggesting that it is a generally anti-security agenda, and also by forgetting that no one who has committed violations of human rights law or of the laws of war deserves to be called a hero," he said.
Pointing out the recent case presented in Brazil against a former member of the Armed Forces, Greiff noted that accountability will be sought either here or abroad."

"In my opinion, this is an additional reason for the country, with the full support of the Armed Forces, who stand a lot to gain from this process-- to establish a robust and credible comprehensive transitional justice policy," he said.
Greiff compiled a comprehensive recommendations to move forward in the transnational justice process and he will be delivering his final report to Human Rights Council in September next year.
During his 14-day visit, he travelled to different parts of the country and met victims of ethnic conflict.
He has recommended confidence building measures such as the repeal of the prevention of terrorism Act, end the militarys role in business and reduction of military presence in the former conflict areas.

Mapping of civilian lands held for military purposes, cease surveillance of human rights defenders.
He has also urged for operationalising the Office of Missing Persons and ensure its regional presence to facilitate access to victims families.
"Truth Commission will be a crucial tool to establish patters of violations over many cycles of violence. Legislation establishing a truth commission should be adopted promptly," he said.
Sri Lanka's civil war ended in 2009 when government troops defeated ethnic Tamil separatist rebels.