Mr Cameron came under renewed pressure to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit (CHOGM) in Colombo when it was reported that Indias Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, will not attend the summit . independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/commonwealth-summit-sri-lanka-faces-calls-for-civil-war-inquiry-8930948.html Not only Canadian PM - Head of world largest Commonwealth country boycotting SL summit but also Indian PM- Head of world largest democracy and Her Majesty Queen - Head of Commonwealth are skipping this unacceptable summit . youtube/watch?v=6OwZG3YZptE The boycott by the Indian premier is the more diplomatically awkward for Mr Cameron because the two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks in New Delhi this week on the eve of the controversial summit. But in a broadcast yesterday for Deepam TV, a UK-based Tamil station, Mr Cameron insisted he had to attend Chogm to keep up pressure on the Sri Lankan government, as well as raise the profile of the issue among British media. Britains Tamil community and Labour have called on Mr Cameron to boycott Chogm, or downgrade the delegation by sending Foreign Secretary William Hague. Canadas Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is not attending in protest at President Mahinda Rajapaksas government. the Prime Minister revealed he had watched a new film, No Fire Zone, which reveals shocking footage of civilians, including children, killed by what witnesses said were government forces while they were inside a protected area supposedly free of government shelling. In a further statement issued by Downing Street yesterday, Mr Cameron described the film as one of the most chilling documentaries Ive watched. Channel 4s film, first broadcast a week ago, was by the makers of Sri Lankas Killing Fields, the 2011 film which won international acclaim for exposing evidence of war crimes by President Rajapaksas government during the final offensive in the countrys civil war in 2009. No Fire Zone centres on the same period but with new claims that the civilian safe zones were specifically targeted. The Colombo government has always denied targeting civilians, but a UN panel of experts estimates between 40,000 and 70,000 were killed in the 2009 offensive. In a statement, Mr Cameron said yesterday: No Fire Zone is one of the most chilling documentaries Ive watched. It brings home the brutal end to the civil war and the immense suffering of thousands of innocent civilians who kept hoping that they would reach safety, but tragically many did not. Many of the images are truly shocking. No right-thinking person can regret the end of the terrorist campaign waged by the Tamil Tigers nor ignore the terrible crimes they committed. But that wrong does not change the fact that this documentary raises very serious questions that the Sri Lankan government must answer about what it did to protect innocent civilians. Questions that strengthen the case for an independent investigation. Questions that need answers if Sri Lanka is to build the truly peaceful and inclusive future its people deserve. The Sri Lankan government has taken some positive steps since 2009 with provincial elections in the north and a commission to investigate disappearances during the war. But much more is needed. I will raise my concerns when I see President Rajapaksa next week in Colombo. And I will tell him that if Sri Lanka doesnt deliver an independent investigation, the world will need to ensure an international investigation is carried out instead. A No 10 source added that engagement is in the Prime Ministers DNA. But critics say any engagement with the regime, which has failed to meet international demands for an independent inquiry into the 2009 events, amounts to collaboration. Steve Crawshaw, adviser to the secretary general of Amnesty International, said: David Camerons upping of the pressure by calling for an international inquiry if things dont radically change in the next few months is welcome. But that pressure will need follow-up; it cant be left hanging in the air. Mr Camerons broadcast follows a meeting with representatives of UK-based Tamils last Thursday, at which he stressed that he wanted to shine a spotlight on their concerns. But Douglas Alexander, the shadow Foreign Secretary, said it was inexplicable that the Government chose to hand away its influence six months ahead of the summit even taking place by confirming the senior pairs attendance. Critics say any engagement with the regime – which has failed to meet international demands for an independent inquiry into events at the end of a bloody civil war in 2009 – amounts to collaboration. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay warned in August that Sri Lanka was heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction. Salman Khurshid, Indias external affairs minister, is expected to attend the summit in Mr Singhs place. The summit is the first Chogm to be hosted by Prince Charles, with the Queen missing it for only the second time since it started in 1971. Timeline: Sri Lankas warcrimes May, 2009 After decades of conflict, the Srilankas current regime declares that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been defeated after overrunning their final north-eastern stronghold. February 2010 Amid concerns over human rights abuses in the last stages of the war, the EU suspends Sri Lanka’s preferential trade status. April 2011 A UN report into the civil war finds that both sides committed atrocities against civilians. March 2012 The UN Human Rights Council adopts a resolution urging the government to investigate alleged war crimes. Sri Lanka refuses. March 2013 Second UN Human Rights Council adopts a resolution urging the government to investigate alleged war crimes within 1 year time or face full international investigation which Srilankan regime still failing to do. September 2013 In an oral “update” to the UN human rights council in Geneva, Navi Pillay, the organisations high commissioner on human rights, criticised the Sri Lankan governments failure to investigate allegations of war crimes against military officers and government officials. She said if significant steps were not taken before her full report was submitted in March, the international community would be forced to launch its own inquiry. “Regrettably, the High Commissioner detected no new or comprehensive effort to independently or credibly investigate the allegations which have been of concern to the Human Rights Council,” her statement said. The 47-nation council has repeatedly demanded a full, transparent investigation of the claims of war crimes. youtube/watch?v=Enlo3XWTId8
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 12:20:12 +0000
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