An international body must be appointed to inquire into the violence in the North-East of Sri Lanka! This in fact is a request by none other than Robin Hill Patrick, Amnesty International’s Co-ordinator for Australia. She has outlined her reasons for her suggestion.

The incidents of violence on a broad scale, the attacks on Parliamentarians, media men and civil activists, the abductions and involuntary disappearances of people, and the influence exerted by the government in the appointments to the Human Rights Commissions necessitate the appointment of an independent and impartial International Commission to inquire into such atrocities.

During the last six months, six hundred people including innocent civilians have been killed. More than twenty thousand people have fled from the east. There are violations of human rights on a large scale, she explains.

In addition, there were air strikes by the government on the areas under its control killing civilians.

There are human rights violations such as official imposing of economic sanctions preventing the transport of even essential commodities to the North-East contravening provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement.

Paramilitary groups that work under the directives of the intelligence unit of the security forces are accused of committing these acts of violence in the North-East. This involvement of para military groups has been exposed by international organizations such as the co-chair countries, the European Union and the Human Rights Organizations.

But the government totally denies the presence of the paramilitary. The President evades his responsibility, demanding victims to present concrete evidence and witnesses for him to take action. This encourages further violence by the perpetrators.

The only way out to expose to the world, the perpetration of violence and the violations of human rights with impunity is to appoint an independent and impartial international commission as suggested by the Amnesty International Official, Australia.

An English translation of the Editorial in Sudar Oli, a Tamil National Daily, based in Colombo

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