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Execution Video Shows Need for International Inquiry, HRW

by Tamiya | August 27, 2009 at 08:18 pm

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The need for an international inquiry into the war crimes of the bloody war of Sri Lanka is more than ever now, urged Human Rights Watch after the release of a disturbing video by Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka.

A disturbing video recently provided to the media showing the apparent summary execution of prisoners by Sri Lankan soldiers underscores the need for an international commission of inquiry into possible war crimes committed by both sides during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, Human Rights Watch said today.

The video details has spine chilling version of execution style, appearantly by Sri Lanka Security Forces of prisioners.

The video shows men in Sri Lankan army uniforms firing assault rifles point-blank at two naked, blindfolded, and bound men sitting on the ground. Eight other bodies are visible on the ground nearby, all but one unclothed. According to Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, a multiethnic exile organization, the video was taken by a soldier with a cell phone in January 2009. While Human Rights Watch could not confirm the video's authenticity, an independent expert consulted found nothing in the video that would dispute its authenticity. The summary execution of prisoners is a violation of Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and a war crime.

Sri Lankan Security forces currently have close to 300,000 Tamil IDPs under detention in barbed wire camps. These detention camps of 300,000 Tamil IDPs are strictly prohibited of journalists too.

Channel 4 News has released a report about "shocking claims" of rape, sexual abuse, and torture in these IDP camps.

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B12N

at 22:32 on August 27th, 2009

Justice must be served. These Sri Lankan human rights violators must be prosecuted and all Tamils from those internment camps must be released. They are victims of a war they never partipated in.

This is the real Sri Lanka. low level COWARD army with no respect for human rights!

Sri Lanka Army news

at 01:08 on August 31st, 2009

The Army has said that investigations found that the controversial video aired on British television depicting alleged Army torture has been doctored.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told Daily Mirror online that he was 100% sure that the video had been staged, and that evidence pointed towards the LTTE.

The Brigadier had explained that amongst other points that stood out as inconsistent to the allegations against the Sri Lankan Army, was the fact that the shooter in the video who was wearing a Sri Lankan military uniform had no badges stating his rank or regiment and the fact that he had long hair - which went against military rules.

The Spokesman also noted that the men being shot at had short hair and could possibly be missing soldiers from the Sri Lankan Army.

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