The Sri Lankan government must end a nationwide crackdown on dissent and cooperate with UN investigators, rights watchdog Amnesty International said today after the UNHRC ordered an international inquiry into alleged war crimes in the country.
"The UN inquiry brings new hope for the thousands of victims of abuses in Sri Lanka," said David Griffiths, Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International.
"The Sri Lankan government has twice ignored calls by the UN Human Rights Council to conduct an independent and credible investigation into allegations of violations during the country's horrific civil conflict. Now they have a fresh opportunity to restore some international credibility by cooperating with the investigation," Griffiths said.
The UN Human Rights Council today voted to task the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to investigate allegations of abuses and crimes committed by all sides during the final stages of war against the LTTE.
"It is important that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is provided with the necessary material and political support to make its investigation as robust and far reaching as possible, with the aim of ensuring that the truth is finally established so that impunity is tackled," Griffiths said.
This is the third resolution by the UN Human Rights Council aimed at ensuring accountability for violations committed by both sides during Sri Lanka's conflict.
