US State Department submits report on Sri Lanka’s human right violations to the Congress

Washington, DC: The United States Department of State has released a report prepared by the Office of Global Criminal Justice of the Department addressing Sri Lanka’s accountability and alleged violations of international humanitarian laws during the country’s three-decade long war with Tamil Tiger terrorists.

The report, titled “Measures Taken by the Government of Sri Lanka and International Bodies to Investigate and Hold Accountable Violators of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law” and released to the Congress by the Office of Global Criminal Justice, explains, in greater detail, issues of international humanitarian law and international human rights law addressed in the Department of State’s March 2012 Report to Congress on the same title.

The Office of Global Criminal Justice says that while the factual supplement draws attention to open questions regarding allegations of violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL), it is not meant to be a legal determination confirming any of those allegations.

The report in detail addresses the government’s efforts at accountability, UN Panel of Experts report, government’s report on Humanitarian Operation Factual Analysis: July 2006-May 2009, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report and its recommendations, and inter alia issues of civilian casualties, shelling in no fire-zone, child soldiers.