Human Rights Groups decline to testify before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission !
Posted on October 21st, 2010

Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia

An invitation by the govt to theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group and Amnesty International to testify before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) had been turned down by them saying that it lacks the ability to advance accountability for war crimes.
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In a joint statement, the 3 groups had stated that, “…the commission suffers from an adequate mandate, a lack of independence and little credibility to advance accountability…” The LLRC was appointed in May 2010, to probe allegations of abuse during the war against the LTTE and to examineƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reasons for the failure of the 2002 ceasefire agreement.
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Human Rights groups have accused the Sri Lankan armed forces of war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law but do not wish to share their insights before the LLRC. They claim that they will appear beforeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ‘a more credible commission of inquiry’. By thisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ probably theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are referring to the panel appointed by the UN Secretary General.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
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However, there are questions with regard to the composition of the UN panel.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The Chairman of the panel, Marzuki Darusman was involved in a Presidential Commission with regard to alleged human rights violationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka. And dueƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to a disagreement with the government left without any notice.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Another member, Steven Ratner, inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a book co-authored by him had referred to human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Thus they are already prejudiced against Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is doubtful if the UN panel would be , ‘ a more credible commission of inquiry”.
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The HR groups, while declining the govt invitation had referred to , ‘Impartiality, neutrality,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  little credibility etc… and labelledƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the LLRCƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ‘a fundamentally flawed commission’.
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If so,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  with regard to HR groups and NGO’s ,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ observers in the past had commented that these groups had never been neutral or impartialƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  but worked with preconceived notions and tilted towards the LTTE during the war and before. Some argued that NGO’s were the supporting pillars of the LTTE. Therefore, just after the war there was a strong move to look into the activities of these groups in the past andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ examine how funds, equipment, aid etc had been allocated by them to those fighting a legitimised government. In relation to HR groups people were interested to know how or why they turned aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ blind eye to the illegalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ activities of the LTTE while pointing the finger at the government.
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Human Rights groups without being horrendously selective against Sri lanka and running away,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ should come before the LLRCƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and share their views as done by many others.
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