Government, which takes full advantage of all public relations opportunities to
obscure the real issues. It is important that the Commonwealth leaders do not allow
such an opportunity to Sri Lanka’s Government. A full consideration of Sri Lanka’s
track record from a Rule of Law and Human Rights perspective would show why the
decision to host CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka is very unwise.
SRI LANKA IN THE NEWS – FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS
Sri Lanka – ever since the most violent phase of the war came to an end in May 2009
– has managed to remain in the news due to reports emerging in the aftermath of the
war about the conduct of the State forces during the war and the human rights
violations being committed ever since.
These human rights violations are very
well documented both by sources within the country as well as by INGOs outside the
country. The reports emerging from within the country criticizing the government’s
violations of human rights and the rule of law post-armed conflict are indeed to be
praised in the light of the vigorous suppression of dissent by the Government.
It is in this light that we must consider the developments since the 2011 decision to go
ahead with Sri Lanka as the venue for CHOGM 2013. In April 2011, the Panel of
Experts appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to examine the conduct of
the last phase of the war observed inter alia that:
“The Government systematically shelled
hospitals on the frontlines. All hospitals in the Vanni were hit by mortars and
artillery; some of them were hit repeatedly, despite the fact that their locations
were well-known to the Government. The Government also systematically
deprived people in the conflict zone of humanitarian aid, in the form of food
and medical supplies, particularly surgical supplies, adding to their suffering.
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