Transitional Justice in the Asia-Pacific (13 page)

38
‘Judge's Absence Aborts Chemmani Hearing,’ (26 March 1999), available at
http://www.tamilnet.com/
(accessed 15 May 2012).

39
Pinto-Jayewardena
,
Still Seeking Justice in Sri Lanka
; Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka, ‘The Alleged Mass Burials at Chemmany in the North,’ (Colombo, Sri Lanka: Civil Rights Movement, 1998). ‘Executions Ordered for Rights Abuses,’
Chicago Tribune
(4 July 1998), p. 4. This was the disappearance of a schoolgirl, Krishanthy Kumaraswamy, and family members and a neighbour who sought to find her. ‘Sri Lanka: Human Rights Developments,’ available at
http://www.hrw.org/hrw/worldreport99/asia/srilanka.html
(accessed 15 May 2012). It should be noted that reports are inconsistent regarding the number of indicted and convicted: see V.
Varathasuntharam
, ‘Nine Soldiers Indicted on Abduction and Murder Charges,’
The Island
(3 July 1997), and Sharmini
Fernando
, ‘Bitter Victory: Krishanthi Kumaraswamy, The Women's Vigil, and the Verdict,’
Options
, No. 14 (1998), p. 17.

40
P.D.A.S.
Gunasekera
, ‘Ten Years RI for Seven Accused, Two Acquitted,’
Daily News
(11 February 1999), pp. 1, 20; J.
Antony
, ‘Seven Accused Including Ex-Principal Sentenced to 10 Years,’
The Island
(11 February 1999), p. 1. See also
Gunasekera
, ‘Witness Describes How Torture Instrument Was Used,’
Daily News
(11 June 1996); and
Gunasekera
, ‘First Accused Told Her that a Few Children Should Be Kidnapped, Witness Days,’
Daily News
(26 February 1996); ‘Tragedy, Trauma and Finally Justice at Embilitpitiya,’
Daily News
(17 February 1999), p. 3.

41
Wasana
Punyasena
, ‘The Facade of Accountability: Disappearances in Sri Lanka,’
Boston College Third World Law Journal
, Vol.
23
, Issue 1 (2003), pp. 115–158.

42
U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2003
(25 February 2004) at
http://www.state.gov
. In 2004, there were no reported indictments, investigations, or prosecutions of security force personnel; see
U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2004
(28 February 2005) at
http://www.state.gov
(accessed 16 June 2011).

43
U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005
(8 March 2006) and
U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2006
(6 March 2007) at
http://www.state.gov
(accessed 16 June 2011).

44
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

45
Krishan
Francis
, ‘Sri Lankan President Regrets Anti-Tamil Riots that Started Civil War,’
Associated Press
(23 July 2004).

46
International Crisis Group, ‘Reconciliation in Sri Lanka,’ p. 5.

47
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

48
Jayewardena,
Still Seeking Justice in Sri Lanka
, pp. 12–41; Kishali
Pinto-Jayewardena
,
The Rule of Law in Decline: Study on Prevalence, Determinants, and Causes of Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Sri Lanka
(Copenhagen: Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims, 2009); Chandra
Lekha Sriram
,
Confronting Past Human Rights Violations
(London: Frank Cass, 2004), pp. 171–201.

49
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare: State Responsibility for “Disappearances” and Abductions in Sri Lanka,’ (27 August 2008) at
http://www.hrw.org
(accessed 15 May 2012).

50
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’ Karuna has since been made a government minister.

51
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

52
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

53
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

54
Asian Human Rights Commission, ‘Sri Lanka: Two Senior Judges Quit the Judicial Service Commission as a Matter of Conscience,’ (3 February 2006), at
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/
(accessed 16 June 2011); Asian Human Rights Commission, ‘SRI LANKA: Sixth Day of Mourning Against Executive Interference into the Judiciary and Other Independent Institutions,’ (3 June 2006), at
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/
(accessed 16 June 2011).

55
United States Department of State
,
U.S. Department of State Human Rights Country Reports Sri Lanka 2006
at
www.state.gov
(accessed 15 May 2012).

56
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

57
Human Rights Solidarity, ’UNHR Council/Sri Lanka: Refusing to Implement Human Rights Committee Recommendations,’ (2006), at
http://www.hrsolidarity.net/
(accessed 16 June 2011).

58
Sofie Rordam, ‘SRI LANKA: Police Torture as an Indicator of the Constitutional Degradation of the Rule of Law,’ (12 January 2011), at
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/
(accessed 16 June 2011).

59
Ashley LS
Perera
, ‘18th Amendment to the Constitution: A Critique,’
Sri Lanka Guardian
, (11 October 2010), at
http://www.srilankaguardian.org
(accessed 16 June 2011); Asian Human Rights Commission, ‘SRI LANKA: Friday Forum Deeply Concerned about Recent Appointments to Human Rights Commission,’ (15 June 2011), at
http://www.humanrights.asia/news
(accessed 16 June 2011); Joseph
Perera
, ‘Sri Lanka Jettisons Constitutional Council Altogether,’
Asian Tribune
(17 June 2010), at
http://www.asiantribune.com
(accessed 16 June 2011).

60
Human Rights Watch, ‘Uncovering Sri Lanka's War Crimes,’ (21 January 2010), at
http://www.hrw.org
(accessed 28 February 2011); International Crisis Group, ‘War Crimes in Sri Lanka,’
Asia Report No. 191
, (17 May 2010), at
http://www.crisisgroup.org
(accessed 28 February 2011);
United States Department of State
,
Report to Congress on Incidents During the Recent Conflict in Sri Lanka
, (2009), at
http://www.state.gov
(accessed 28 February 2011); UK House of Commons Library, ‘War and Peace in Sri Lanka,’
Research Paper 09/51
(5 June 2009).

61
Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka
(31 March 2011), p. 41.

62
International Crisis Group
, ‘War Crimes in Sri Lanka,’
Asia Report No. 191
(17 May 2010), at
http://www.crisisgroup.org
(accessed 15 January 2011).

63
‘Deeming Sri Lanka Execution Video Authentic, UN Expert Calls for War Crimes Probe,’
UN News Centre
(7 January 2010), at
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33423
(accessed 15 May 2012).

64
Basil
Fernando
, ‘UN Human Rights Council Drops Sri Lanka,’
UPI Asia
(23 May 2008), at
http://www.upiasia.com
(accessed 28 February 2011); Sri Lanka Democracy Forum, ‘Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka,’ (9 February 2008), at
http://www.srilankademocracy.org
(accessed 28 February 2011).

65
‘Full Text of Resolution Adopted by the UN Human Rights Council’ reprinted in the
Sunday Times
(Sri Lanka) (28 May 2009), at
http://sundaytimes.lk
(accessed 28 February 2011); Human Rights Watch, ‘Sri Lanka: UN Rights Council Fails Victims,’ (27 May 2009), at
http://www.hrw.org
(accessed 11 May 2011); Michael
Binyon
, ‘A Disgraceful Vote which Discredits the UN Human Rights Council,’
The Times
(28 May 2009), at
http://www.timesonline.co.uk
(accessed 28 February 2011). Arguably, the state has been able to resist calls for accountability because pressure from traditional donors has been muted, and from newer donors nonexistent. Anonymous, ‘Against the Grain: Pursuing a Transitional Justice Agenda in Sri Lanka,’
International Journal of Transitional Justice
, Vol.
5
, No. 1 (2011) pp. 46–47.

66
Human Rights Watch, ‘Recurring Nightmare.’

67
Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka
, pp. v; ‘The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’ at
http://www.llrc.lk
(accessed 1 May 2011).

68
‘Sri Lankan War Inquiry Commission Opens Amid Criticism,’
BBC News
(11 August 2010), at
http://www.bbc.co.uk
(accessed 21 April 2011); Human Rights Watch, ‘Sri Lanka: New Evidence of Wartime Abuses,’ (20 May 2010), at
http://www.hrw.org
(accessed 21 April 2011).

69
International Crisis Group, ‘Reconciliation in Sri Lanka’, pp. 24–25.

70
Yolanda
Foster
, ‘LLRC is Not a Credible Domestic Process of Accountability,’
LankaNewsWeb
(16 March 2011) at
http://www.sangam.org
(accessed 25 March 2011).

71
Yolanda
Foster
, ‘LLRC is Not a Credible Domestic Process of Accountability,’
LankaNewsWeb
(16 March 2011) at
http://www.sangam.org
(accessed 25 March 2011).

72
Vasuki Nesiah, ‘Unpacking the Truth,’ (16 August 2009), at
http://www.ictj.org
(accessed 21 April 2011).

73
International Crisis Group, ‘Statement on the Report of Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission,’ (22 December 2011), at
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/publication-type/media-releases/2011/asia/statement-on-the-report-of-sri-lanka-slessons-learnt-and-reconciliation-commission.aspx
; Human Rights Watch, ‘Sri Lanka: Report Fails to Advance Accountability,’ (16 December 2011) at
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/16/sri-lanka-report-fails-advance-accountability
(accessed 15 May 2012).

74
Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka, call for submissions (18 October 2010), at
http://www.un.org
, (accessed 15 May 2012); ‘Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka,’ at
http://www.un.org/en/rights/srilanka.shtml
(accessed 11 May 2011).

75
‘Sri Lanka Asks UN Not to Publish War Crimes Report,’
Agence France Press
(21 April 2011) at
http://www.afp.com/en/home/
(accessed 21 April 2011); ‘Leaked UN Report Urges Sri Lanka War Crimes Probe,’
Agence France Press
(21 April 2011) at
http://www.afp.com/en/home/
(accessed 21 April 2011); Miriam Krule, ‘Sri Lankan Government Retaliates before UN War Crimes Report,’ (14 April 2011), at
http://www.theatlantic.com
(accessed 11 May 2011).

76
Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka
(31 March 2011); ‘Ban's Sri Lanka War Crimes Panel Stuck in New York,’
The Sunday Times
(Sri Lanka) (23 January 2011), at
http://sundaytimes.lk
(accessed 28 February 2011).

77
Tamilnet, ‘UN Commissioner's Call for War-Crimes Prove Jolts Colombo,’ (31 May 2011) at
http://www.tamilnet.com
(accessed 31 May 2011).

78
Eric Michael
Liddick
and John T.
Gagnon
, II, in ‘Striving for Peace and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka: A Creative Solution to Conflict,’
War Crimes, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity
, Vol.
3
(2009), pp. 39–88, call for the involvement of the International Criminal Court.

79
Tamilnet, ‘Time for International Criminal Tribunal on Sri Lanka,’ (7 March 2010) at
http://www.tamilnet.com
(accessed 31 May 2011).

80
Charu Lata Hogg, ‘Sri Lanka: Prospects for Reform and Reconciliation,’ Chatham House Asia Programme Paper ASP PP 2011/06 (October 2011).

81
Chandra Lekha
Sriram
,
Globalizing Justice for Mass Atrocities: A Revolution in Accountability
(London: Routledge, 2005).

82
‘Lawsuit Filed against Sri Lankan Army General,’ (23 September 2011), at
http://www.warwithoutwitness.com
accessed 15 May 2012; ‘Civil Lawsuit Filed against Major General Shavendra Silva,’
BBC Sinhala
(24 September 2011), at
http://www.bbc.co.uk
;
Vasali Devi and Seetharam Sivam v. Shavendra Silva
, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; ‘First Complaint for Torture, Cruel, Inhuman, Degrading Treatment, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Negligence, and Wrongful Death,’ at
http://www.warwithoutwitness.com
(accessed 15 May 2012).