Australian Senate latest to back calls for international war crimes probe

13 FEBRUARY 2014 !e Baptist Senate !as become t!e latest to "ome out in support of an #nternational #n$esti%ation into alle%e& 'ar crimes in Sri (anka , after IT passed a Green Party Motion calling On the Government to cosponsor the United States' resolution that will e discussed at !e"t month's U! #uman $ights %ommission session&

The motion also as's the (ustralian government to support the United States in its call for the )international community to esta lish an independent international

accounta ility mechanism to evaluate reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed y oth sides during and after the war in Sri *an'a& ) (s this is e"actly the same wording contained in a resolution presente& to t!e U)S) Senate recentl* , and very similar to t!e wor&in% Use& b* t!e European Union t!is 'eek '!en # also came out in support of an #nternational 'ar crimes probe) Motion y the Senators in (ustralia was presented y *ee $hiannon, %laire Moore and Ursula Stephens& R!iannon was &eporte& b* Sri (ankan aut!orities for attemptin% to "+,-. (ast /o$ember ,n t!e E0E of +uman ri%!ts ,n +ol& a 1ress conference in "olombo) authorities said this was in reach of her visa conditions& $hiannon, a Green Party senator, said of the motion, )The world will e watching how (ustralia will e responding to this international call for a war crimes investigation& Today we have sent a clear message to Prime Minister Tony ( ott and +oreign Minister ,ulie -ishop& ) (ustralia has co.sponsored the Previous Two U! $esolutions On Sri *an'a, ut recently /lected leader on* Abbott !as been muc! 1ursuin% a &ifferent line wit! Sri (anka & #e has consistently spo'en in support of the $a0apa'sa Government, e$en appearin% to con&one A%aricus at ,ne 1oint , and also to help deal with illegal Migrants -O(TS satelliet Two patrol& ,ulie -ishop has also failed to spea' out in support of a war crimes pro e to date, ut the latest move y the Senate will put oth her and ( ott under increased scrutiny& The full te"t of the motion includes references to )continuing reports of violations of human rights in Sri *an'a, and international concerns a out insufficient progress y the Government of Sri *an'a in addressing 0ustice, reconciliation and accounta ility,) and also calls for )the Government of Sri *an'a to allow unimpeded access for media, international aid agencies, and human rights groups into all regions of the country, as well as to detention sites that may hold political and war prisoners, )and) to end its media restrictions, including the o stacles to the flow of information in the !orth and /ast, and ring to 0ustice those responsi le for attac's on 0ournalists and newspaper offices& )

Investigation Baptist senate backs Green Party Motion calling for War crimes in Sri Lanka
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Thu, +e 23, 4526, 52768 PM S* Time, %olom oPage !ews 9es', Sri *an'a&

Feb 13, Canberra: The Australian Senate has supported a motion by the Green Party calling on the Australian Government to bac an international !ar crimes investigation in Sri "an a# The $otion moved by Senators "ee %hiannon, Claire $oore and &rsula Stephens calls on the Australian government to cosponsor the &nited States resolution at the &nited 'ations (uman %ights Council in $arch )*1+ regarding Sri "an a,s progress on accountability and human rights# The motion also as s the Australian government to support the &nited States in its call -or the .international community to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to evaluate reports o- !ar crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and a-ter the !ar in Sri "an a# . Australian Green Party senator "ee %hiannon, !ho !as deported by Sri "an an authorities -or violating her visa conditions during her visit to the island last 'ovember, said the Green Party has consistently called -or a !ar crimes investigation and !ill continue to campaign strongly -or one# .The !orld !ill be !atching ho! Australia !ill be responding to this international call -or a !ar crimes investigation# Today !e have sent a clear message to Prime $inister Tony Abbott and Foreign $inister /ulie 0ishop,. Senator %hiannon said# .1e !elcome "abor,s decision to no! support this position#. %ecalling that Australia has co2sponsored the last t!o &nited 'ations (uman %ights Council resolutions on Sri "an a, the Senator said it is crucial that Australia does the same at the upcoming &'(%C session in $arch# Follo!ing is -ull te3t o- the Green Party motion $otion: 4ndependent !ar crimes investigation in Sri "an a $oved by: Senators "ee %hiannon, Claire $oore and &rsula Stephens PASS56 $ove that the Senate 2

1# 'otes Australia,s cosponsorship o- the )*1) &nited 'ations General Assembly (uman %ights Council resolution calling on the Sri "an an Government to implement the recommendations o- the "essons "earnt and %econciliation Commission o- Sri "an a and to ta e credible and independent actions to ensure 7ustice, e8uity, accountability and reconciliation -or all Sri "an ans9 )# 'otes Australia,s cosponsorship o- the )*13 &nited 'ations General Assembly (uman %ights Council resolution e3pressing concern at continuing reports o- violations o- human rights in Sri "an a, and reiterating the call upon the Government o- Sri "an a to implement the Commission,s recommendations and to -ul-il its commitment to conduct an independent and credible investigation into allegations o- violations ointernational human rights la! and international humanitarian la!9 3# 'otes continuing reports o- violations o- human rights in Sri "an a, and international concerns about insu--icient progress by the Government o- Sri "an a in addressing 7ustice, reconciliation and accountability9 and +# 'otes the -orthcoming update to the (uman %ights Council )+th session on the progress o- the )*1) and )*13 resolutions# :#Calls on the Australian Government to: a# maintain Australia,s strong record o- support -or human rights at the )+th session othe (uman %ights Council, including in relation to Sri "an a9 and b# support the &nited States in its call -or the .international community to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to evaluate reports o- !ar crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and a-ter the !ar in Sri "an a.9 c# cosponsor the &nited States resolution at the &nited 'ations (uman %ights Council in $arch )*1+ regarding Sri "an a,s progress on accountability and human rights9 d# urge the Government o- Sri "an a to allo! unimpeded access -or media, international aid agencies, and human rights groups into all regions o- the country, as !ell as to detention sites that may hold political and !ar prisoners9 e# urge the Government o- Sri "an a to end its media restrictions, including the obstacles to the -lo! o- in-ormation in the 'orth and 5ast, and bring to 7ustice those responsible -or attac s on 7ournalists and ne!spaper o--ices#