Intl panel asks Sri Lanka to clean up human rights record

An Indian-led international panel on Tuesday rapped Sri Lanka for human rights violations in the country, saying the government lacked transparency in probing abuses by the security forces in its war against the LTTE.

Headed by India's former Chief Justice P N Bhagwati, the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) asked Colombo to clean up its human rights record and said they found an "absence of will" on the part of the government to take action against those involved in rights violation.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa formed the IIGEP in 2006 to oversee functioning of a government commission investigating 16 human rights cases.

"The IIGEP has... Found an absence of will on the part of the government of Sri Lanka in the present inquiry to investigate cases with vigour, where the conduct of its own forces has been called into question," the 11-member panel said in a statement.

Rajapaksa in November 2006 had appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate and inquire into 16 incidents of alleged serious violations of human rights that took place in the island country since August 1, 2005.

He subsequently invited 11 persons of international repute to form the IIGEP and tasked them with observing the functioning of the commission and commenting on transparency of its investigations and inquiries.

Observing that "summary executions, massacres, disappearances, wanton destruction of property, and forcible transfers of populations can never be justified", the IIGEP said, "no efforts should be spared to uncover responsibility, including recognition of command responsibility, for such actions."

Source: Zee news