Strasbourg, 02/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 1 July, the European Union urged the government of Sri Lanka to cooperate fully with the investigation into the alleged human rights violations committed in recent years during the civil war - an investigation “to address accountability issues as an important step for fostering genuine reconciliation”. “It should also allow all stakeholders to engage without fear of reprisals”, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton stated.
“Sri Lanka has come a long way in rebuilding the country since the end of the conflict five years ago but efforts should not stop here”, said Ashton's spokesperson. He spoke of the “full” implementation of the recommendations of Sri Lanka's own Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission and he also spoke of advancing a sustainable political solution - both of which are “essential for peaceful growth and stability in Sri Lanka”. The EU is willing to continue assisting Sri Lanka in its efforts to make further progress on these issues.
The EU also welcomed the appointment on 25 June by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, of three renowned experts - Nobel prizewinner Martti Ahtisaari, Silvia Cartwright and Asma Jahangir - to assist the investigation team for Sri Lanka led by Pillay's office. Their mission is to advise and support this team, which comprises 12 members and has been set up to conduct an in-depth investigation in the allegations of human rights violations in Sri Lanka. The mission will be operational from mid-April 2015. The Sri Lankan government had set up various mechanisms to investigate the violations but none of the mechanisms was sufficiently independent to be effective or inspire the confidence of the victims and witnesses, Pillay stated. (CG)