Sri Lanka war crimes film screened at UN in Geneva

By Dharisha Bastians Reporting from Geneva 

An advocacy video on alleged war crimes committed during the final stages of the war in Sri Lanka was screened by No Fire Zone director Callum Macrae on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council 30th Session in Geneva yesterday.

The 30-minute documentary, entitled ‘Sri Lanka: The Search for Justice’ was screened at the Palais des Nations and hosted by Human Rights Watch.

It shows images and video that point to war crimes allegedly committed against civilians and extra-judicial killings during the last battles in the Northern Province in May 2009.

Macrae, who spoke briefly following the screening, called the UN report on war crimes in Sri Lanka “devastating” and a turning point in the search for truth and justice for victims.

The United Nations, Macrae said, had failed very badly in 2009. “It must not fail this week,” he said, urging a resolution on Sri Lanka that calls for the establishment of a special hybrid court as recommended by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

The No Fire Zone director said for the past few years the former regime in Sri Lanka had constantly insisted their films were fake and their motive malicious.

“The OISL report is independent, authoritative, has assessed all the evidence and confirmed what we said and what the victims have always known,” Macrae asserted.

He said there was now hope that the “ridiculous argument” of whether these crimes were committed will now end.

“All communities in Sri Lanka, all the victims and indeed all the perpetrators are entitled to a judicial process of accountability that is fair and impartial,” the independent director said.