People's Democracy

On Sri Lankan Tamils Issue

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on March 13, 2012

EVEN though the conflict in Sri Lanka ended three years ago with the defeat of the LTTE, the question of bringing to book those accountable for serious human rights violations and killings during the last phase of the war is still hanging fire.

The Sri Lankan government had constituted a Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to go into the matter. The recommendations submitted by the commission five months ago have still not been implemented by the Sri Lankan government.

The Indian government should take the stand in the UN Human Rights Council that the Sri Lankan government should take up the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC without any further delay. These include the necessity for a credible investigation into the allegations of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and a political settlement involving the devolution of powers to the provinces.

Given the growing evidence of killings of civilians and serious human rights violations, it is necessary to have a credible and independent investigation into these charges. All those responsible should be held accountable and brought to book.