Sunday, 29th June 2014
By Easwaran Rutnam
The team appointed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to investigate the alleged human rights abuses committed during the war, has not yet sought visas to visit Sri Lanka, the External Affairs Ministry said. Ministry sources said that such a request has not been put forward to the Sri Lankan Mission in Geneva or the External Affairs Ministry. Meanwhile the Ministry said that the Government has not reversed its decision on opposing the investigation.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay announced last week that three distinguished experts, Martti Ahtisaari, Silvia Cartwright and Asma Jahangir have agreed to advise and support the team set up to conduct a comprehensive investigation of alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka, as mandated by the UN Human Rights Council in March.
The investigation will look into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka during the last years of the armed conflict.
The Investigation Team will consist of 12 staff, including investigators, forensics experts, a gender specialist, a legal analyst and various other staff with specialized skills. It will be operational for a period of 10 months (up to mid-April 2015).
From : http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/06/29/probe-team-has-not-sought-visas/
