ஐ.நா மனிமத உரிமைகள் பேரவையின் 37 வது அமர்வின் {விடயம் 5) இன் கீழ் தமிழ்த் தேசிய மக்கள் முன்னணியின் தலைவர் கஐேந்திரகுமார் பொன்னம்பலம் பொதுச் செயலாளர் செல்வராசா கஐேந்திரன் ஆற்றிய உரை..
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Delivered by:- Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
37th Session
ITEM 5 – General Debate
Mr. President,
This statement is made in collaboration with the Tamil National People’s Front.
We would like to urge Working Groups, Special Procedures and the relevant UN treaty bodies, to jointly formulate an effective engagement with Sri Lanka. This coordinated engagement is most urgently needed to stem the ongoing cases of abductions and torture of Tamils by the Sri Lankan armed forces despite a change of government in Sri Lanka over three years ago.
Mr. President, for over 35 years during the armed conflict, the Sri Lankan armed forces have been trained to view the Tamil people as the “enemy”. In the complete absence of any security sector reforms, the system that operated during the period of the war that led to the most heinous crimes being committed, remains in tact. And despite damning evidence against those army commanders who were in charge during the war, the present government, like its predecessor, has continued to promote and reward such individuals.
This government’s refusal to act against perpetrators, but reward them instead, shows that these crimes have the full knowledge of the state and are therefore system crimes that are condoned by people at the very top of government. The fact that no lesser persons than the President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka have repeatedly stated that no member of the armed forces will be asked to stand trial before a court of law, only shows how deep the problem is.
Therefore we once again call for Sri Lanka to be referred to the ICC as being the only way of breaking this deadly cycle of impunity.
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Delivered by:- Selverajah Kajendren
37th Session
ITEM 5 – General Debate
Mr. President,
We would like to urge Working Groups, Special Procedures and the relevant UN treaty bodies, to jointly formulate an effective engagement with the Sri Lanka. Otherwise, as the Human Rights High Commissioner has noted previously, the government would continue its approach of mere tokenism and box ticking as its answer to its human rights obligations.
Despite the end of the war in May 2009, the grave concerns regarding human rights and international humanitarian law violations committed against the Tamil people have not been addressed.
Families of the forcibly disappeared have been continuously protesting seeking justice for over a year. The families have literally been protesting by the roadside in Maruthenkerni, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya, to no avail.
Tamil families who were displaced as a result of the war have not been able to return to their homes as the military continue to occupy their private properties. The people of Keppappilavu, Iranaithivu, Myleddy and Mullivaikkal, just to name a few, have also been continuousy protesting almost over a year.
Further, despite the government agreeing to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, Tamil political prisoners arrested under it continue to be incarcerated.
In 2017 March, this Council resolved to grant the Sri Lankan government an extension of two years to implement resolution 30/1 which the government co-sponsored. The last year has shown the government rejecting the resolution not only in word but also in deed. If the Sri Lankan government defaulting from its own commitments does not have consequences, the current state of impunity in Sri Lanka will only lead to worse violations.
