RESPECTED SRI LANKAN NGOS INSIST INTERNATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 001616 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM CE SUBJECT: RESPECTED SRI LANKAN NGOS INSIST INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MISSION SHOULD HAVE INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY REF: COLOMBO 1580 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT O. BLAKE, JR. FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) On September 29, the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA),a respected Colombo-based think-tank, provided the Embassy a copy of a statement it sent to delegates at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The statement was signed by twenty-five reputable local NGOs, including the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Women and Media Collective, the National Peace Council, and a number of Muslim civil society groups. The statement urges the creation of an independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. ¶2. (C) According to Bhavani Fonseka (protect),CPA program officer, her organization and the local NGO INFORM drafted the statement, which they then circulated to other NGOs for comment. The statement as issued says that Sri Lanka's local institutions are not equipped to adequately investigate allegations of extra-judicial killings, abductions, and disappearances. In addition, the statement refers to a "history of impunity" that undermines public faith in the Government of Sri Lanka's (GSL's) ability or will to address human rights concerns. The statement's signatories posit that if an international mission only has observer status, thorough investigations will not be carried out. The statement also says that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will not accept a national commission's findings, so an international investigative commission is necessary to fully address human rights abuses is Sri Lanka. ¶3. (C) In an October 3 phone conversation with poloff, Fonseka said CPA had circulated the statement amongst NGO colleagues, some diplomatic missions in Colombo, and to delegations of the Sri Lanka donor support group in Geneva. Fonseka said the GSL delegation in Geneva had expressed dissatisfaction with the statement and stated that the international commission should be limited to observers rather than including investigators. ¶4. (C) Fonseka shared a document prepared for CPA's use in- house that says that President Rajapaksa has appointed seven separate commissions to investigate human rights abuse allegations since taking office in November 2005. 
Reportedly, there is no transparency as to the appointment, membership, or findings of any of these commissions. According to the CPA document, the GSL rarely takes follow-up action. For these reasons, the CPA strongly believes that any international human rights commission that comes to Sri Lanka should have investigative authority. ¶5. (C) Comment: The GSL maintains that Sri Lankan law does not allow foreigners to have investigative powers. Post and other missions believe that robust Terms of Reference and the continued active participation of international monitors will ensure strong pressure on the GSL to allow a credible commission. ¶6. (SBU) Begin text of CPA Statement: STATEMENT TO COUNTRY DELEGATES AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: 29 SEPTEMBER 2006 As the second session of the UN Human Rights Council moves into its final phase, we the undersigned civil society COLOMBO 00001616 002 OF 004 organizations and individuals dedicated to principles of human rights, peace and democracy in Sri Lanka, await an outcome that will reaffirm the call of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions, as well as of international, regional and national human rights organizations for international human rights monitoring of the situation in Sri Lanka. In the two weeks since the Council began its sessions, the situation in Sri Lanka has continued to deteriorate. 207,000 persons continue to be displaced throughout the north and east as a result of recent violence. Some IDPs face pressure to return to their places of origin, sometimes with the use of coercive measures. In Kinniya, in the east, on September 26, the Police entered a school where some IDPs were seeking shelter and cut off the power supply. Access to many areas of the north and east continues to be denied to many international and national agencies. With the prevailing security situation and the restrictions imposed on humanitarian actors, many international actors are severely constrained and some have even suspended their operations in certain parts of the north and east. Killings and abductions continue throughout the north and east, as well as in Colombo. In Colombo alone, 17 Tamil businessmen have been abducted in the past few months. The massacre of ten Muslims in Pottuvil, also in the east, on September 18 led to heightened tensions and to the withdrawal of the Special Task Force of the Police from the area. The inability of existing institutions and mechanisms, including the National Human Rights Commission, to investigate the large numbers of killings, abductions and disappearances is coupled with a long history of impunity which in turn intensifies high levels of insecurity in the minds of victims and survivors, who are potential witnesses. Neither the many different Commissions appointed to look into incidents of assassination or violence nor on-going judicial processes have been able to offer protection or justice for victims of human rights abuse. The Supreme Court judgment of September 15 saying that Sri Lanka cannot be bound by the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR without going through a long process of Constitutional amendment and referendum has sent waves of concern throughout our community. We fear that this may be a first step by the state towards abdicating from all obligations under international law. It is in this context that we reiterate our call for an independent and international human rights presence in Sri Lanka. We feel that only an independent Commission of Inquiry consisting of figures of international repute in the field of human rights will generate confidence in such a mechanism and extend some guarantees of impartiality and confidentiality to all those who will have the courage to SIPDIS testify before the Commission. Such a Commission would engage in both inquiry and investigation regarding human rights violations in the entire country over a specified period of time. It would document incidents and situations in a manner that could assist judicial proceedings of a subsequent date. The exercise of judicial powers would be retained by local authorities, thus rendering it consistent with the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The process of the Commission would complement existing structures in ensuring that human rights violations are investigated and perpetrators held accountable. COLOMBO 00001616 003 OF 004 A national Commission of Inquiry, which is being proposed by the government, even though it has a panel of eminent international observers, will not bring the LTTE fully on board and we fear, allow the LTTE to avoid confronting the consequences of the human rights violations that it commits. An independent international Commission will be, we believe, the best structure to draw in the full range of alleged perpetrators from the state and the LTTE, as well as other actors who have committed acts of human rights abuse. Its work would also enhance the sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka in terms of the country's Constitution which includes fundamental rights and freedoms which all organs of the government have an obligation to protect and to advance. The process of holding an independent international Commission of Inquiry which is seen to be unbiased and which has the strong endorsement of the international human rights community may well be a strong confidence-building measure in terms of the peace-building process as well. It can only strengthen the rule of law, fair and effective governance and better ensure human rights and human security for all the people of Sri Lanka. In addition, we call for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to establish a formal presence in Sri Lanka and work towards developing a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Sri Lanka that will allow for a sustained and field-based presence of the OHCHR in Sri Lanka. The multiple roles of such a presence would enhance civilian protection and strengthen accountability through processes of consistent and active verification, investigation and documentation of human rights abuses together with public and systematic reporting to an independent body and would ensure a long- term commitment to the prevention of human rights violations in Sri Lanka. We also hope that this session of the Council will ensure that there are arrangements made for the on-going monitoring of the situation in Sri Lanka as well as for a report back during the third session of the Council in November. Signatories: Al-Muslimath Association of War Affected Women Caring Hand Centre for Human Rights and Development Centre for Policy Alternatives Citizen's Committee for Forcibly Evicted Northern Muslims, Puttalam Human Care Foundation International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Colombo International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism INFORM Islamic Women's Association for Research and Empowerment Law and Society Trust Muslim Action Front Muslim Council of Sri Lanka Muslim Forum for Social Development Muslim Information Centre Muslim People's Front Muslim Women's Research and Action Forum National Peace Council People's Movement for Good Governance Sri Lanka Islamic Student Movement Sri Lanka Jamathe Islmaiya Women's Development Organisation, Jaffna Women and Media Collective Women's Education and Research Centre COLOMBO 00001616 004 OF 004 Viluthu 29th September 2006 End text of statement. BLAKE