Christian clergy in Sri Lanka demands international inquiry into crimes perpetuated by the state

Siva Parameswaran

The Christian clergy in Sri Lanka has called unequivocally international inquiries into grave human rights violations and the deadly Easter Sunday bombings four years ago.

The Priests and Religious for Peace and Justice, North-East and South in their statement have reiterated that such international inquiry should not only be curtailed to the alleged expose of the state’s complicity in the bombings by British broadcaster Channel 4 but also others as well.

“We would like to reiterate our demands that there cannot be an international nature of investigation demanded for one documentary released on the Easter Sunday bombing, while completely refuting the truth of the documentaries previously released by the same Channel 4 on crimes perpetrated against Eelam Tamils”. 

Adding further they said “We feel this exposes deeply polarised understandings of justice and further divides the communities and unravels the hierarchy of victimhood. It is unfair to neglect the emblematic cases that the recent documentary discloses”. 

The recent documentary by Channel 4 exposed the alleged perpetrators of the heinous crime in which over 275 including foreigners were killed. Among those Sri Lankans killed mostly were Tamils.

A unitary state structure would continue to perpetrate violence against the numerically small communities, especially Eelam Tamils, their statement has warned. 

Expressing their solidarity with the Tamils of the North and East they say the Eelam Tamils affected by the war continue to experience genocide due to policies of the state endorsed by the Parliament.

Claiming that those in the South are also insisting on the international nature of inquiry into the crimes perpetuated by the state. Endorsing the demand by the archbishop of Colombo, the statement said “Our concern is not to find fault with this Channel on its past relationship with this country but the content of their findings which are important for us.” 

Without an international investigation “truth and justice will be meted out to the innocent victims of the 2019 Easter attacks”, they added.

Commenting on the culture of impunity and lack of accountability The Priests and Religious for Justice and Peace the state has a monopoly over the practice of violence.

Noting further they added unless such a transparent and sincere investigation is launched, they do not feel that truth and justice will be meted out to the innocent victims of the 2019 Easter attacks.

“The government/state structure has to be held accountable for the crimes it committed on their own citizens as it is their responsibility to protect their own citizens”. 

Recalling the earlier documentary by Channel 4 titled ‘No Fire Zone’ they said that the documentary revealed the crimes committed by the state agencies in violation of International Humanitarian Law. The clergy went on to add the Sri Lankan judiciary which is part of the unitary state structure is deeply flawed and cannot render justice to Eelam Tamils.

“We would like to state again with emphasis that Eelam Tamils demand an international inquiry into genocide, as a historical process which is the crime of the crimes and of which state is responsible and complicit. Eelam Tamils lost hope in the Sri Lankan judicial mechanism long ago”.

No Fire Zone documentary can be seen free on the link below

No Fire Zone Sinhala language version 2015 from Outsider TV on Vimeo.