A shocking video uncovering the summary executions of two men by the Sri Lankan
army has gone public in recent days. FORUM-ASIA expresses its deep
horror upon receiving the video which constitutes
a clear evidence of gross
violation of human rights and war crimes, if the video is authentic.
(28 August 2009, Bangkok)
A shocking video uncovering the summary executions of two men by the Sri Lankan
army has gone public in recent days. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and
Development (FORUM-ASIA) expresses its deep
horror upon receiving the video which constitutes
a clear evidence of gross
violation of human rights and war crimes, if the video is authentic.
FORUM-ASIA strongly demands the Government of Sri Lanka to allow an international
investigation of independent experts to be immediately conducted in order to uphold truth and justice.
The video, which has recently emerged, shows two unclothed,
blindfolded men sitting on a dirt ground being shot point-blank with
assault
rifles fired by two standing men dressed in Sri Lankan army uniform. At
least
eight other bodies are shown on the ground nearby. Summary executions
of civilian persons or prisoners of war are in serious breach of the
law of war, in particular Common Article 3
of the Geneva Conventions (1949) which lays out obligations of the
parties to
the conflict not of an international character.
While a spokesperson for the Sri Lankan army has called the
video a "fake", it should not have been
so easily dismissed and denied. A far more effective way forward should be for the Government of Sri
Lanka to facilitate an urgent and immediate investigation conducted by international,
independent experts in order to set the record straight.
FORUM-ASIA and civil society organisations across Asia have urged the
Government of Sri Lanka time and
again to allow journalists and independent
monitors safe and unrestricted
access to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, detention centers
and former conflict areas, so that impartial and objective information
can be collected. We also emphasise the critical need to accurately
assess the needs of the displaced and document the testimonies of
violations of
humanitarian and human rights law committed by both parties to
conflict.
Investigations are crucial for truth and reconciliation and to restore
the
dignity of victims.
