{"id":54574,"date":"2016-05-11T22:20:59","date_gmt":"2016-05-12T04:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=54574"},"modified":"2016-05-11T02:25:10","modified_gmt":"2016-05-11T09:25:10","slug":"sri-lankas-military-victory-over-ltte-terrorists-media-and-hr-groups-purposely-distorted-ban-ki-moons-panel-of-expert-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2016\/05\/11\/sri-lankas-military-victory-over-ltte-terrorists-media-and-hr-groups-purposely-distorted-ban-ki-moons-panel-of-expert-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka\u2019s Military Victory over LTTE Terrorists: MEDIA and HR Groups purposely distorted Ban Ki Moon\u2019s Panel of Expert Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

Ban Ki Moon the UN Secretary General appointed an Advisory Panel to ADVISE HIM on the final phase of the war in Sri Lanka. That advisory panel was not an officially UN General Assembly or UN Security Council endorsed panel and that may explain why its report ended up being \u2018leaked\u2019 and thereafter becoming quoted and referred to as an officially sanctioned international UN document \u2013 which it is not. However, it has suddenly been projected as an officially sanctioned UN document and has been used for successive UNHRC Resolutions and quoted extensively by the OHCHR Head. Illegalities of such has never been investigated despite requests to do so. Joining in this questionable actions are media and HR groups whose media releases will reveal the extent of lies and misinterpretation and disinformation they indulge in and how artfully they fool the public. They have got to the extent of substituting \u2018credible allegations\u2019 to promoting notion of \u2018credible evidence\u2019. Why do these entities wish to lie and distort like this?<\/p>\n

\"BanKiMoonNoSee\"<\/p>\n

The below examples showcases how the PoE\u2019s conclusion that there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian<\/strong> deaths.\u201d <\/strong>ended up with media and advocacy groups claiming that the GOSL and its troops KILLED, BUTCHERED 40,000 and more CIVILIANS while these same parties SUBSTITUTED the word \u2018EVIDENCE\u2019 when the PoE referred to ALLEGATIONS\u201d. With the current UN Human Rights sessions in progress under a New Human Rights head it is prudent that Governments, their envoys and other diplomats place the importance of how NGOs\/HR organizations and Media have impeded reconciliation as well as being responsible for lies and distortions and some action needs to be taken against them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
India Today<\/strong><\/td>\nTens of thousands lost their lives from January to May 2009 \u2026\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u200a<\/em><\/strong>http:\/\/indiatoday.intoday.in\/site\/story\/sri-lanka-in-denial-over-war-crimes\/1\/147691.html<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NDTV<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/em>Some United Nations national staff members and dependents were forcibly recruited, including a 16 year-old girl<\/em><\/strong>. UNICEF verified and documented 397 cases of child recruitment, including 147 girls, by the LTTE, between 1 January and 19 May 2009, but the actual number of forced recruitments going on during that period is presumed to be much higher.<\/em>\u200a<\/em><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.ndtv.com\/video\/player\/documentary-24\u00d77\/sri-lanka-white-lies-and-brute-force\/210479<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

PBS<\/strong><\/td>\nViolations reported under SC Resolution 1612 indicated that 199 children were killed and 146 maimed from 1 January 2009 to 19 May 2009, although the actual number of casualties is likely to be higher.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/bb\/world\/jan-june11\/srilanka1_06-15.html<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC (Australia)<\/strong><\/p>\n

ABC Radio PM \u2013 <\/strong><\/td>\n

Sarah Drury \u2013 April 26, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The much-awaited release of the report contains the <\/em><\/strong>first UN\u2019s estimate of the death toll. It says that 40,000 civilians were killed <\/em><\/strong>as they were trapped between the two sides and it blames government troops for most of those deaths.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC Four Corners \u2013 <\/strong><\/td>\nKerry O\u2019Brien \u2013 27\/06\/2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2026 <\/em><\/strong>when 40,000 civilians were killed<\/em><\/strong>, as the 25 year civil war between the Government and the secessionist Tamil Tigers was coming to an end.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs concluded that Kerry O\u2019Brien breached the ABC Code of Practice:<\/p>\n

Audience and Consumer Affairs concluded that the statement by Kerry O\u2019Brien was in breach of 2.2 of the ABC Code of Practice. A correction has been posted on the ABC online corrections page, which is available at the attached link; http:\/\/abc.net.au\/news\/corrections\/<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

An explanation was added on the ABC website:<\/p>\n

Four Corners, 27 June 2011<\/p>\n

Summary published: Tuesday 02, August 2011<\/p>\n

Complaint: A viewer complained that the presenter made an inaccurate statement at the end of the program when announcing the content of the following week\u2019s program.<\/p>\n

Finding: Upheld against 2.1 ABC Editorial Policies (11 April 2011)<\/p>\n

Audience and Consumer Affairs response: The ABC acknowledged that reasonable efforts were not made to ensure that material facts were accurate. In commenting on the upcoming report \u2018Sri Lanka\u2019s Killing Fields\u2019, the presenter stated that 40,000 civilians were killed as the 25 year civil war in Sri Lanka was coming to an end. The statement should have noted that the figure of 40,000 dead was an estimate from a UN panel report, not an established fact\u201d.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC Four Corners<\/strong><\/td>\nKerry O\u2019Brien \u2013 04\/07\/2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

While introducing the Channel 4 documentary on 04\/07\/2011, Kerry O\u2019Brien claims:<\/p>\n

\u2026 but this time it relates to the brutal slaughter of humans, an estimated 40,000 of them.\u201d<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC Asia Pacific Focus \u2013 25\/03\/2012<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/em><\/strong>The UN estimates Sri Lanka\u2019s civil war claimed between 80,000 and 100,000 lives<\/em><\/strong>*,<\/em><\/strong> with casualties soaring in the final months of the conflict.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s believed that no fewer than 40,000 people died<\/strong> during the government\u2019s final offensive against the Tamil Tigers. And that is now the focus of United Nations pressure on Sri Lanka to investigate alleged war crimes.<\/p>\n

South Asia correspondent, Richard Lindell, reports on Sri Lanka\u2019s post war reconstruction.\u2026<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s deep suspicion that some of these areas must contain the bodies of 40,000 civilians the UN estimates were killed in the last months of the war.\u201d<\/em>\u200a<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

BBC Sinhala<\/strong><\/td>\nUdani Wimalaratne \u2013 06 July, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201940,000 civilians killed\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, according to a report by the UN expert panel set up by the Secretary General, around 40,000 civilians were killed during the war in Sri Lanka.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

BBC Hardtalk<\/strong><\/td>\nStephen Sackur \u2013 5 July 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN panel setup by the Secretary-General reckons that there is credible evidence that 40,000 civilians were killed<\/em><\/strong> in that final phase of the war.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

BBC<\/strong><\/td>\nCharles Haviland \u2013 24 February 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

The death toll figure is consistent with an early United Nations estimate, but it\u2019s much lower than the estimated 40,000 deaths given by a report commissioned by Ban Ki-Moon last year.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Channel 4 (UK)<\/strong><\/td>\nChannel 4 documentary Killing Fields\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Killing Fields\u201d documentary confuses a few weeks\u201d for the 5 months\u201d referred to in the Darusman report:<\/p>\n

The United Nations panel has now concluded that as many as 40,000 people died in the final few weeks of the war<\/strong>.\u201d<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Channel 4 News<\/strong><\/td>\nForeign Editor, Ben De Pear \u2013 Saturday 10 March 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN estimates at least 40,000 people, mostly civilians were killed in a matter of weeks.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Comprehension does not appear to be a prerequisite to be an editor at Channel 4.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

India Today \/ Headlines Today<\/strong><\/td>\nPriyamvatha and Rajesh Sundaram \u2013 August 10, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

India Today \/ Headlines Today incorrectly claims:<\/p>\n

The UN says over 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed during the last stages<\/strong> of the 30-year civil war in Sri Lanka. NGOs put the figure at over a lakh and fifty thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n

India Today \/ Headlines Today misunderstood as many as\u201d to mean over\u201d. You would expect a credible media organisation to name the NGOs that are claiming a death toll of 150,000 civilians. Ironically the article concludes with:<\/p>\n

Truth, expectedly, is the biggest casualty in the 30-year conflict in Sri Lanka.\u201d<\/p>\n

The opening paragraph of the article must have been intended as confirmation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

NDTV<\/strong><\/td>\nMohuya Chaudhuri, Divakar Mani, K Jaganathan \u2013 September 10, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

India\u2019s NDTV:Towards the end of the war, the UN says, around three and a half lakh Tamils were trapped in a narrow sliver of land, designated as safe zone by the Sri Lankan army, and over 40,000 were wiped out as the war reached its climax.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

It appears NDTV has misunderstood as many as\u201d to mean over\u201d.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

PBS (USA)<\/strong><\/td>\nPBS News Hour \u2013 June 15, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN has reported that at least 40,000 civilians, more than half the toll for the entire war, died in the final months of the fighting in late 2008 and 2009.\u201d <\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

PBS was first to present a unique take on the Darusman report, it seems to have misunderstood as many as\u201d to mean at least\u201d.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Sydney Morning Herald<\/strong><\/td>\nBen Doherty \u2013 May 14, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The article claims:<\/p>\n

It has always been sparsely populated, but in the aftermath of a war in which the UN estimates 40,000 civilians were killed<\/strong> and more than 300,000 displaced \u2013 out of a population of about 700,000 \u2013 a lack of people is now a very real problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

The UN did not estimate 40,000 civilian deaths.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Sydney Morning Herald<\/strong><\/td>\nBen Doherty \u2013 August 3, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The article claims:<\/p>\n

The government\u2019s Humanitarian Operation statement comes three months after a report by a panel of UN experts found that \u2019\u2019tens of thousands\u2019\u2019 of civilians were killed in the final days and weeks of the war.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Darusman Report is quite clear that it is referring to the final five months.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Sydney Morning Herald<\/strong><\/td>\nJosephine Tovey, Dan Oakes \u2013 October 18, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The article claims:<\/p>\n

A UN report this year found up to 40,000 civilians were killed<\/strong> in the final weeks of the war against the separatist Tamil Tigers, and found government troops bombed no-fire zones, hospitals and food supply lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Darusman Report is quite clear that it is referring to the final five months.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Ten (Australia)<\/strong><\/td>\nBen Doherty, <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ten (Australia) \u2013 17th October 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6:30 program anchored by George Negus claimed:<\/p>\n

The United Nations believes 40,000 civilians were killed \u2026\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Investigation Report No. 2762 concluded:<\/p>\n

Given that the statement failed to include the qualifying references to \u2018as many as\u2019 or \u2018a range up to\u2019, the ACMA considers that the licensee breached clause 4.3.1 of the Code in this instance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the television channel did not respond to the complainant and hence also breached clause 7.11 of the Code:<\/p>\n

TEN apologises to the complainant for not providing a substantive written response as required under clause 7.11. The complaint was passed on to a program staff member to respond directly to the complainant. Unfortunately, the person subsequently left TEN News after the cancellation of the program without a response being sent and other staff being unaware of the outstanding obligation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program has been canned.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Age<\/strong><\/td>\nBen Doherty and Josephine Tovey \u2013 October 18, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

A UN report this year found that up to 40,000 civilians were killed<\/em><\/strong> in the final weeks of the war, and found that government troops bombed hospitals and food supply lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Darusman Report is quite clear that it is referring to the final five months.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Australian<\/strong><\/td>\nCatherine Philp \u2013 April 26, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

UN report finds up to 40,000 people were killed by Government forces in final days of Sri Lanka\u2019s civil war<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Catherine Philp<\/p>\n

From: The Times<\/p>\n

April 26, 2011 8:09AM\u2026<\/p>\n

DELIBERATE shelling of civilians by government forces may have killed as many as 40,000 people in the closing stages of Sri Lanka\u2019s civil war, a leaked UN war crimes report has found.\u201d <\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Australian acknowledged the error and chose to remove the offending article:<\/p>\n

The article, sourced from The Times, stated that a UN war crimes report had found that 40,000 Sri Lankan civilians were killed by government forces in the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war.<\/p>\n

The Australian accepts that the UN report\u2019s estimate of 40,000 deaths referred to civilian deaths overall, and not specifically to those people killed by Government forces.<\/p>\n

We have accordingly removed the article from our website.<\/p>\n

Please note, that The Times story did not appear in print in our newspaper.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ironically, the official response itself contains a factual error.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Guardian<\/strong><\/td>\nAndy Bull \u2013 4 June 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The article claims:<\/p>\n

The UN estimates that 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Hindu<\/strong><\/td>\nR. K. Radhakrishnan \u2013 February 24, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

The United Nations Secretary General\u2019s Expert Panel on Accountability issues in Sri Lanka has said that upwards of 40,000 civilians were killed.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Independent<\/strong><\/td>\nCallum Macrae \u2013 11 March 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last year, a special panel of experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, suggested that as many as 40,000 civilians died in the last few weeks of the war\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Callum Macrae misinterpreted the five months referred to in the Darusman report to mean a few weeks\u201d in his documentary too, Channel 4\u2019s Killing Fields\u201d.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The New York Times<\/strong><\/td>\nMANU JOSEPH \u2013 February 27, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

They estimate that more than 40,000 Tamil civilians died in the final months of the war.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Vancouver Sun<\/strong><\/td>\nJonathan Manthorpe \u2013 January 18, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

A United Nations panel appointed in April 2011 by secretary general Ban Kimoon says as many as 40,000 people were killed<\/strong> in the final weeks of the war and has called on the Rajapaksa administration to account for what happened.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Washington Post<\/strong><\/td>\nSimon Denyer \u2013 July 6, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

The United Nations has called for an investigation into the final stages of the civil war, accusing the Tigers of using civilians as human shields but also accusing the army of indiscriminate shelling and of denying civilians access to humanitarian aid. It estimates that 40,000 innocent people may have died.\u201d\u200a[84]<\/a><\/p>\n

The error was corrected immediately and an annotation acknowledging the error was added:<\/p>\n

Correction:<\/p>\n

An earlier version of this article described the United Nations as estimating that 40,000 innocent people may have died in the civil war in northern Sri Lanka. That is the high end of the estimate; the world body says at least 7,721 and as many as 40,000 civilians were killed. This version has been revised to reflect that estimate.\u201d<\/p>\n

The revised article now states:<\/strong><\/p>\n

It estimates that at least 7,721 and as many as 40,000 innocent civilians may have died.\u201d<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Times of India<\/strong><\/td>\nPaul Newman \u2013 Jul 3, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

BANGALORE: Nearly 1,00,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the war in Sri Lanka during the final stages of civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a report by a committee of the United Nations said.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The International Committee of the Red Cross ( ICRC) has estimated that nearly 14,000 wounded Tamil civilians were evacuated by ship from a no-fire zone in Sri Lanka during the end of war. Of which, the Committee said, 5,000 civilians were amputated and nearly 70,000 children died of starvation during the war in 2008.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Political Science professor Paul Newman from Bangalore University on Saturday presented these statistics quoting from a UN panel report headed by Marzuki Darusman, Steven Ratner and Yasmin Sooka.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Times of India claims that the UN Advisory Panel report said there was a civilian death toll of 100,000 during the final stages of the war. The Times of India is attributing this to a presentation by Paul Newman<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Human Rights Watch<\/strong><\/td>\nKenneth Roth \u2013 Executive Director \u2013 \u2013 Mar 24, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the last stages of the war, the Sri Lankan army indiscriminately shelled the Tigers trapped on a beach. Along with them, 40000 civilians too were killed.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

UN Watch<\/strong><\/td>\nHillel Neuer \u2013 Executive Director of UN Watch \u2013 March 22, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2009, after an estimated 40,000 civilians were killed by Sri Lanka \u2026\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

INDIVIDUALS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Lee Scott (British Conservative Party) \u2013 Member of Parliament (Ilford North) \u2013 15 Sep 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

I want to focus today on Sri Lanka. We have seen reports from the United Nations that 40,000 innocent women and children were massacred at the end of the conflict.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

I guess being a native English speaker does not necessarily mean one has the ability to comprehend what one reads.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Siobhain McDonagh (British Labour Party) \u2013 Member of Parliament (Mitcham and Morden) \u2013 15 Sep 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The civil war in Sri Lanka was one of the region\u2019s most dreadful conflicts of recent times. In its last five months alone, 100,000 people were killed, 40,000 of them civilians.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

British MPs are quite creative! The UN estimates between 80,000 and 100,000 deaths during the entire duration of the four-decade long war.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Bruce Haigh \u2013 former Australian diplomat \u2013 19 October 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN report estimates 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed towards the end of the war,<\/strong> some, as already noted, by the navy. In addition, 4,000 Tamil soldiers (LTTE) are being held incommunicado by the government. The 500-page UN report notes that:\u201d<\/p>\n

The 200-page Darusman report estimates a range of up to 40,000 civilian deaths cannot be ruled out at this stage\u201d.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Frances Harrison (BBC Sri Lanka correspondent \u2013 2000 to 2004, Amnesty International \u2013 2011) \u2013 Nov. 19 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another UN report said a death toll of 40,000 in just five months was credible; this inquiry says it could even be 70,000.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Darusman report actually stated, a range of up to 40,000 civilian deaths cannot be ruled out at this stage\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Darusman report also referred to the approx. 70,000 unaccounted figure:<\/p>\n

Others have put the estimate at 75,000, a figure obtained by subtracting the number of people who emerged from the conflict zone (approximately 290,000) from the estimate of the number thought to have been in the conflict zone (approximately 330,000 in the NFZ from January, plus approximately the 35,000, who emerged from the LTTE-held areas before that time).\u201d<\/p>\n

The Advisory Panel still set the upper-bound of civilian deaths at 40,000.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Gordon Weiss \u2013 former UN spokesperson in Sri Lanka \u2013 February 22, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

After all, according to the UN, perhaps 40,000 Tamil civilians had been killed in the final few months, mostly by government forces, and overwhelming evidence of war crimes has since emerged.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Interestingly, in 2011, Gordon Weiss had the following to say about the UN:<\/p>\n

We do have pretty good indications that probably somewhere between ten and forty thousand people were killed. This is not my own figure, plucked from nowhere. It\u2019s credible enough for the UN to have used it as part of its assessment in to the available evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gordon Weiss who initially quoted 7000 to boost his book sales changed the figure to 40,000 and when challenged at his book launch he changed the figure to 10,000 and disowned responsibility for the change of numbers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
How Media and HR groups <\/strong>substituted the word evidence when PoE referred to allegations<\/u><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Darusman Report found \u2018credible allegations\u2019 of crimes<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Amnesty International has substituted \u2018credible allegations\u2019 with \u2018credible evidence\u2019 in all their reports on PoE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ex 1: <\/strong><\/p>\n

PoE states:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In stark contrast, the Panel found <\/strong>credible allegations<\/u><\/strong>, which if proven, indicate that a wide range of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law was committed both by the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, some of which would amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n

Amnesty International states: (7 May 2011)<\/strong><\/p>\n

A report submitted to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 12 April 2011 by the Panel of Experts he appointed to advise him on accountability issues in Sri Lanka <\/strong>\u2019found credible evidence<\/u><\/strong>,<\/strong> which if proven, indicate that a wide range of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law was committed by both the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, some of which would amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Commentary: When informed the Amnesty International issued a statement. <\/strong>Thank you for your message regarding Amnesty International\u2019s public statement on Sri Lanka of 17 May. The mistake you highlight was a typographical error on our part which we have now corrected. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

But they did not correct it on their website even by end July 2011. The corrected version prevails without reference to it being corrected.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ex 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Steve Crawshaw \u2013 International Advocacy Director of Amnesty International \u2013 25 May 2011<\/p>\n

A hard-hitting UN report has found compelling evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the final phase of the war in Sri Lanka in spring 2009.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Commentary : The Darusman report found credible allegations\u201d not \u2019compelling evidence\u2019<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

International Crisis Group \u2013 May 1, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

Guilty of substituting \u2018credible evidence\u2019 instead of \u2018credible allegations\u2019.<\/p>\n

Example 1:<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka UN panel of experts 25 Apr released report on accountability in Sri Lanka; finds credible evidence<\/u><\/strong>\u201d govt, LTTE committed serious violations amounting to war crimes during final stage of 2009 civil war, says govt shelling responsible for most of tens of thousands\u201d civilian deaths. Report recommends independent international investigation, but UNSG Ban 25 Apr said he first needs consent of Sri Lankan govt or mandate from UN Human Rights Council, GA or UNSC, where China and Russia likely to veto.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Example 2:<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka UN panel of experts 25 Apr released report on accountability in Sri Lanka; finds credible evidence<\/u><\/strong>\u201d govt, LTTE committed serious violations amounting to war crimes during final stage of 2009 civil war, says govt shelling responsible for most of tens of thousands\u201d<\/strong> civilian deaths. Report recommends independent international investigation, but UNSG Ban 25 Apr said he first needs consent of Sri Lankan govt or mandate from UN Human Rights Council, GA or UNSC, where China and Russia likely to veto.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Upon bringing it to their notice. The ICG corrected it and in the PDF of their website carried *\u201dSri Lanka changed 30 May 2011: credible evidence\u201d replaced with credible allegations\u201d. (30 May 2011)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Australian Red Cross <\/strong>in its newsletter also used \u2018credible evidence\u2019 in referring to PoE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Human Rights Law Centre (Australia) on 8 March 2013 also refers to \u2018credible evidence\u2019 and quotes 40,000 civilians without proof<\/strong><\/p>\n

The United Nations estimates that up to 40,000 civilians may have died in the final stages of the civil war that ended in 2009 and cites <\/em>credible evidence<\/strong> of war crimes committed by both government forces and the opposition Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (the LTTE or Tamil Tigers).\u201d<\/em>\u200a<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC Australia \u2013 2 May 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

Example 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s president has rejected calls for a war crimes probe after a UN finding of credible evidence\u201d<\/strong> government forces committed atrocities when crushing Tamil Tiger guerrillas in 2009.<\/p>\n

Example 2<\/p>\n

The UN panel, which did not have an investigative mandate, accused victorious Sri Lankan government troops of killing tens of thousands of civilians and said there was credible evidence\u201d war crimes were committed by both sides.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Example 3: Stephen Dziedzic 5 July 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last year, a United Nations panel of experts found there was credible evidence that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the conflict.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note:(July 27) the article originally reported that there was credible evidence. There are credible allegations that 40,000 civilians were killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

ABC news apologized for the confusion. Yet, how many would have continued to accept allegations as evidence.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC Four Corners \/ Press Release 3 July 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

In June 2010, the UN chief asked a panel of experts to advise him on the evidence available relating to the conduct by both sides in the closing months of the war. In a report published in April this year, the panel of experts concluded that there was credible evidence that up to 40,000 people were killed in the final months of the civil war between the Tamil Tigers and Government forces.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

ABC Radio Australia \u2013 Kanaha Sabapathy \u2013 August 2, 2011<\/p>\n

In April when the UN Advisory panel released its report saying that it had received credible evidence that both the security forces and the LTTE had committed war crimes the government rejected it claiming it could not be substantiated.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

ABC acknowledged the error:<\/p>\n

We acknowledge that correspondent Kanaha Sabapathy incorrectly stated that the UN Panel had reported that they had received credible evidence\u201d regarding war crimes when in fact the UN Panel reported they had received credible allegations\u201d. ABC News has added an editor\u2019s note to the transcript of this story which states:<\/p>\n

The use of the phrase \u2019credible evidence\u2019 when referring to the United Nations report is incorrect.<\/p>\n

The UN\u2019s panel of experts report uses the phrase \u2019credible allegations\u2019.<\/p>\n

The ABC acknowledges there is a distinct difference\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

AFP continued with use of \u2018credible evidence\u2019 in April and October 2011<\/p>\n

A UN panel of experts recommended an international investigation over the army\u2019s 2009 final offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels, saying there was credible evidence of war crimes on both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rudd said Australia had urged Sri Lanka to act on United Nations findings of credible evidence\u201d of war crimes through its Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), due to report in November.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

BBC \u2013 Charles Haviland \u2013 18 May 2011<\/p>\n

India\u2019s central government has not commented publicly on a recent UN-commissioned report, in which a panel of experts said there was credible evidence that both sides in the Sri Lankan war may have committed war crimes.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

BBC \u2013 Charles Haviland \u2013 24 May 2011<\/p>\n

The lobby group\u2019s comments came a month after a report commissioned by the UN said there was credible evidence that both sides may have committed war crimes: the Tigers, for instance, by shooting escaping civilians, and the government, for example, by shelling hospitals.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

BBC \u2013 Charles Haviland \u2013 24 May 2011<\/p>\n

The lobby group\u2019s comments came a month after a report commissioned by the UN said there was credible evidence that both sides may have committed war crimes: the Tigers, for instance, by shooting escaping civilians, and the government, for example, by shelling hospitals.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

BBC \u2013 31 May 2011<\/p>\n

The UN has said there is credible evidence that both sides may have committed war crimes \u2013 the Tigers by shooting escaping civilians and the government by shelling hospitals.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

BBC Hardtalk \u2013 Stephen Sackur \u2013 5 July 2011<\/p>\n

The UN panel setup by the Secretary-General reckons that there is credible evidence that 40,000 civilians were killed in that final phase of the war.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong> \u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Channel 4 (UK)<\/p>\n

Channel 4 \u2013 Alex Thomson \u2013 16 April 2011<\/p>\n

A leaked UN report reveals the United Nations believes there is credible evidence that war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka\u2019s civil war. Channel 4 News Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson recalls the frustration and the tension\u201d of trying to report on a \u2019secret war\u2019.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Channel 4 News \u2013 03 June 2011<\/p>\n

The media release for the documentary Killing Fields\u201d contains the same factual error:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN report found credible evidence that both sides of the conflict committed serious war crimes. The report called for an international inquiry \u2013 that call has so far has gone unheard.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Channel 4 \u2013 Alex Thomson \u2013 16 April 2011<\/p>\n

A leaked UN report reveals the United Nations believes there is credible evidence that war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka\u2019s civil war. Channel 4 News Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson recalls the frustration and the tension\u201d of trying to report on a \u2019secret war\u2019.\u201d<\/strong> \u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Channel 4 News \u2013 03 June 2011<\/p>\n

The media release for the documentary Killing Fields\u201d contains the same factual error:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN report found credible evidence that both sides of the conflict committed serious war crimes. The report called for an international inquiry \u2013 that call has so far has gone unheard.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

Channel 4 documentary Killing Fields\u201d \u2013 Jon Snow<\/p>\n

During the melodramatic introduction by Jon Snow to the Killing Fields\u201d documentary he makes the same factual error:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN recently published a report that found \u2019credible evidence\u2019 that both government and Tamil Tiger rebels committed serious war crimes.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Callum Macrae \u2013 Producer and Director of Killing Fields\u201d \u2013 21\/06\/2011<\/p>\n

Callum Macrae, Producer and Director of Killing Fields\u201d, during an interview with Groundviews<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong>, claims the Darusman report states: \u2026 credible evidence that the senior command knew of what was going on \u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

But actually if you take the total of the report as well, it is true that it does collectively represent credible evidence\u201d<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Groundviews \u2013 11 May 2011<\/p>\n

There is obviously much confusion in official circles on what to do with the report of the panel appointed by the UN Secretary General to look into issues of accountability in Sri Lanka, which has flagged credible evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Reuters<\/p>\n

Ranga Sirilal (Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Sugita Katyal) \u2013 May 26, 2011<\/p>\n

Western governments led by the United States have pushed Sri Lanka to establish a believable probe into the panel\u2019s finding of credible evidence\u201d government troops killed thousands of civilians at the end of the country\u2019s civil war in 2009. <\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ranga Sirilal (Writing by Bryson Hull, editing by Rosalind Russell) \u2013 Aug 18, 2011<\/p>\n

A panel commissioned by the U.N. secretary-general in April said it had credible evidence\u201d both sides had committed possible war crimes, and in particular alleged the government had killed thousands of civilians.\u201d<\/strong> \u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stephanie Nebehay \u2013 Sep 12, 2011<\/p>\n

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was poised on Monday to send a report by his advisory panel, which last April found credible evidence\u201d that government forces committed war crimes when crushing the Tigers, to the rights Council, U.N. officials said.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rob Taylor \u2013 Oct 17, 2011<\/p>\n

A United Nations advisory panel\u2019s report says there is credible evidence\u201d that both sides committed war crimes, which the government hotly contests. Many of the allegations originated with pro-Tamil Tiger sources or propaganda outlets <\/strong><\/p>\n

Michael Perry (Reporting by Michael Perry, Editing by Jonathan Thatcher) \u2013 Oct 24, 2011<\/p>\n

A U.N. advisory panel report says there is credible evidence\u201d both sides committed war crimes, which the government rejects.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Sydney Morning Herald<\/p>\n

Ben Doherty \u2013 December 19, 2011<\/p>\n

The findings were in stark contrast to a UN expert\u2019s report earlier this year, which found \u2019\u2019credible\u2019\u2019 evidence of war crimes on both sides of the conflict and said civilians were deliberately targeted by government troops, particularly in the final months of the war.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Australian<\/p>\n

Paul Maley \u2013 October 26, 2011<\/p>\n

Numerous independent reports, including the UN Panel of Experts commissioned by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have found there is credible evidence the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam committed war crimes.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul Maley and Amanda Hodge \u2013 October 17, 2011<\/p>\n

Several inquiries, including one by the UN Panel of Experts, have found there is credible evidence that both the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam were guilty of war crimes.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Australian made a public correction:<\/p>\n

A REPORT published on The Australian\u2019s website on October 17 (Australia\u2019s envoy \u2018not named\u2019 for war crimes\u201d) reported that the UN panel of experts had found there was credible evidence that both the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam were guilty of war crimes\u201d. The Australian accepts that the UN report refers to credible allegations\u201d of war crimes rather than credible evidence\u201d. This correction arises from a settlement arranged by the Australian Press Council.\u201d<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Independent \u2013 Andrew Buncombe \u2013 Tuesday, 18 October 2011<\/p>\n

An independent panel established by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reported earlier this year that there was credible evidence\u201d that both the Sri Lankan forces and those of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had committed war crimes during the final stages of the fighting.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Voice of America \u2013 Kurt Achin \u2013 August 03, 2011<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, a panel of United Nations-appointed researchers recommended an international probe into the final months of Sri Lanka\u2019s decades-long civil war. Their report concluded there was credible evidence the military may have killed tens of thousands of civilians in deliberate attacks on non-combatant targets such as hospitals.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Sunday Leader \u2013 Jun 5 2011<\/p>\n

The UN arm did place on record that war crimes did occur during the last stages of the war in Sri Lanka and credible evidence was available to back this claim.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

DBS Jeyaraj \u2013 22 February 2012<\/p>\n

The UN Panel headed by Darusman found credible evidence\u201d that the Sri Lankan army had killed tens of thousands of civilians in the final stages of the war against the LTTE.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Gordon Weiss \u2013 former UN spokesperson in Sri Lanka \u2013 July 10, 2011<\/p>\n

But a UN report in April this year went further. The UN\u2019s panel of experts detailed credible evidence that the same army systematically bombarded so-called no-fire zones sheltering civilians; deliberately bombed hospitals overflowing with wounded women and children; withheld food from starving people; and murdered prisoners.\u201d<\/strong>\u200a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Since 2009 media and advocacy groups have repeatedly committed factual errors and have thus deceived the general public. The UNSG\u2019s Panel of Expert report is not a UN document. Media and rights groups have continuously referred to the PoE as a UN document. The PoE\u2019s \u2018credible allegation\u2019 has been substituted with \u2018credible evidence\u2019 while the PoE\u2019s there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian deaths.\u201d Has been replaced with 40,000 killed by the Sri Lankan Army. These lies have been relayed across the world like Goebbels. Is this ethical media\/human rights conduct?<\/p>\n

Shenali D Waduge <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge Ban Ki Moon the UN Secretary General appointed an Advisory Panel to ADVISE HIM on the final phase of the war in Sri Lanka. That advisory panel was not an officially UN General Assembly or UN Security Council endorsed panel and that may explain why its report ended up being \u2018leaked\u2019 and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54574\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}