The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Navi Pillay, has renewed her call for an international investigation into
violations allegedly committed by Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels
during the final months of their decades-long civil war. The High Commissioner
has presented a progress report on the global situation of human rights at the
UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The top U.N. human-rights official,
Navi Pillay, says civilians suffer the most in all armed conflicts. She says
the neglect of basic human rights, as well as discriminatory practices, often
are at the root of armed conflict. And, that is why, she says, it is crucial to
uphold the human rights of the victims.
She says it is important to get
to the truth, to have independent human-rights monitors and the media present in
situations of conflict. But, she notes independent observers were not able to
access either the conflict zone or the camps for displaced people in northern
Sri Lanka.
The government has been accused of using heavy weaponry in a
so-called civilian safe zone and the Tamil rebels of using civilians as human
shields.
But since there were no witnesses to what was happening,
Pillay says it is hard to corroborate these allegations.
"A
comprehensive process of accountability for human-rights violations committed by
all sides should be carried out," Pillay said. "To that end, I have called for
an independent international inquiry. On June 2nd, speaking before this
Council, the Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights of Sri Lanka
stated that his government is committed to a reconciliation scheme. This
commitment is welcome."
Pillay says she believes accountability is a
prerequisite for the attainment of justice and reconciliation for all Sri
Lankans and a foundation for lasting peace.
At the end of May, the U.N.
Human Rights Council held a special session on the human-rights situation in Sri
Lanka. The high commissioner's plea for an international investigation went
unheeded.
Turning her attention to other areas of concern, High
Commissioner Pillay highlights the grave situation of civilians caught in
conflict in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, the Palestinian Territories and
Colombia.
She notes the terrible impact fighting in Somalia's capital,
Mogadishu, is having on civilians, aid workers, human-rights defenders and
journalists.
"During the past weeks, many civilians were killed, hundreds
injured and thousands displaced by clashes between pro and anti-government
forces in Mogadishu," she said. "Women are particularly at risk of violent
attacks for which they have no effective recourse. The fighting must be
stopped. Countering impunity of perpetrators for their past and current
atrocities must be a priority in order to achieve justice and deter further
violations."
Pillay expresses her outrage at the lack of justice and
horrific levels of sexual attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She
deplores the treatment of human-rights defenders, humanitarian workers and U.N.
national staff In Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur Province. She says the workers
are subject to arbitrary arrests, detentions, ill treatment and torture.
The U.N. official says the recent clashes between the Chadian rebels and
government forces have added to the widespread violations and abuses by both
parties in the country.
གཟའ་ལྷག་པ། ༢༠༢༤/༠༤/༡༧