Untitled - International Commission of Jurists
Untitled - International Commission of Jurists
Untitled - International Commission of Jurists
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Successive commissions <strong>of</strong> inquiry into gross human rights violations have been<br />
unable to overcome the systemic weaknesses <strong>of</strong> the criminal justice system analyzed<br />
in the first half <strong>of</strong> the report. The same analysis can be applied to the commission <strong>of</strong><br />
inquiry established by the Government <strong>of</strong> Sri Lanka in 2006 to investigate fifteen<br />
(later increased to sixteen) selected incidents <strong>of</strong> grave human rights violations, all <strong>of</strong><br />
which occurred due to the conflict in the North and East, was predestined to be a<br />
failure right from the start. This most recent commission <strong>of</strong> inquiry wound up its<br />
proceedings in June 2009 prior to completion <strong>of</strong> its tasks due to its mandate not being<br />
extended by the Presidential Secretariat. 6<br />
Chapter five draws upon the historical record contained in the preceding chapters in<br />
analyzing as a whole the state’s response to violations <strong>of</strong> the right to life. This chapter<br />
proceeds through a series <strong>of</strong> categories, from the conduct <strong>of</strong> investigations and<br />
prosecutions to trends in judicial decision-making, and a number <strong>of</strong> other crucial<br />
matters including witness protection and respect for international human rights<br />
norms. 7<br />
What follows is a summary <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> the key themes discussed in more detail in the<br />
report.<br />
1. <strong>Commission</strong>s <strong>of</strong> Inquiry<br />
The following multiple focus is reflected in the analysis:<br />
1) Examination <strong>of</strong> the establishment, functioning and findings <strong>of</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>s <strong>of</strong><br />
Inquiry from 1977 to 2001, effectively covering the entire gamut <strong>of</strong> such bodies<br />
Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002). This definition has also been retaken by the UN Human<br />
Rights Committee in it s General Comment No 31 on the Nature <strong>of</strong> the General Legal Obligation<br />
Imposed on States Parties to the Covenant, 26 May 2004, CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.13, para 18.<br />
5 Article 8 <strong>of</strong> the Rome Statute defines war crimes as “grave breaches” <strong>of</strong> the aws <strong>of</strong> armed conflict as<br />
codified in the Geneva Conventions <strong>of</strong> 1949, including acts against protected persons such as wilful<br />
killings, torture, denial <strong>of</strong> fair trial, and attacks on civilian populations. Customary international law<br />
requires all states to prosecute or extradite persons alleged to have committed grave breaches <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Geneva Conventions.<br />
6 The full report <strong>of</strong> this <strong>Commission</strong> has yet not been made public. For recent critiques <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Commission</strong>’s functioning, see Amnesty <strong>International</strong>’s ‘Twenty Years <strong>of</strong> Make-Believe, Sri Lanka’s<br />
<strong>Commission</strong>s <strong>of</strong> Inquiry,’ June 2009 and University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna); A Travestied<br />
Investigation, Erosion <strong>of</strong> the Rule <strong>of</strong> Law and Indicators for the Future <strong>of</strong> Minorities in Lanka, Special<br />
Report No 33, 2009.<br />
7 Two sets <strong>of</strong> guidelines are standard references, and are included in full in annexes to this report: Basic<br />
Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims <strong>of</strong> Gross Violations <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> Human Rights Law and Serious Violations <strong>of</strong> <strong>International</strong> Humanitarian Law,<br />
A/RES/60/147, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly, 16.12.2005 (hereinafter: UN Principles<br />
on Reparation); UN Updated Set <strong>of</strong> principles for the protection and promotion <strong>of</strong> human rights<br />
through action to combat impunity, Report <strong>of</strong> the independent expert to update the set <strong>of</strong> principles to<br />
combat impunity, Diane Orentlicher, E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1, 08.02.2005 (hereinafter: UN Updated<br />
Principles on Impunity), also recommended by the <strong>Commission</strong> on Human Rights Resolution<br />
E/CN.4/RES/2005/81, 21.04.2005. The UN <strong>Commission</strong> has noted in its resolutions on impunity that<br />
these principles already have been applied at regional and national levels: E/CN.4/RES/2004/72,<br />
21.04.2004, para 16; E/CN.4/RES/2003/72, 25.04.2003, para 14; E/CN.4/RES/2005/81, para 21<br />
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