U.N. investigator says video of executions appears to be authentic
January 09 2009 – CNN
United Nations (CNN) — A video purportedly showing Sri Lankan soldiers executing bound, blindfolded and naked Tamils appears to be authentic, a U.N. investigator said Thursday.
Philip Alston, the U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, based his findings on a three month, U.N.-backed investigation conducted by three independent forensic experts.
Alston is calling anew for a “genuine and independent investigation” by the Sri Lankan government into war crimes violations allegedly committed by Sri Lankan soldiers against Tamils.
Sri Lanka has previously rejected all calls for independent investigations of alleged war crimes committed during its conflict with Tamil separatists
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On Sri Lanka, Last Act of UN’s Ban Was Three Months Ago, Despite War Crimes
January 09 2009 – Inner City Press
UNITED NATIONS, January 8 — The UN on Friday acknowledged that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s most recent call for accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka was more than three months ago. Video here, from Minute 13:19.
Since then, former general Sarath Fonseka has accused senior minister and Presidential brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of ordering the summary execution of surrendering Tamil Tiger officials, and video footage depicting Sri Lankan Army soldiers shooting blindfolded and naked prisoners has been authenticated by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston — yet Ban has done nothing more.
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Sri Lanka Execution video: UN considers violations
January 08 2010 – Channel 4 News
The UN secretary general could set up an expert panel to look into alleged violations by the Sri Lankan army after a report found video, first on Channel 4 News, “appears to be authentic”. Jonathan Miller reports.
Sri Lanka still insists the footage, released by Journalists For Democracy and obtained by Channel 4 News in August 2009, is a fake, and it categorically denies any atrocities against the Tamil minority.
In September 2009, Sri Lankan officials said they had commissioned four separate investigations, and that they had “scientifically established beyond any doubt that this video is a fake”.
This claim has now been refuted several times; by an independent video analysis expert, a forensic pathologist, and a firearms expert all cited by Special Rapporteur Philip Alston in his report commissioned by the UN.
He said: “Together, the reports by these experts strongly suggest that the video is authentic.”
Mr Alston added that he hopes the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon take the assessment of the video footage seriously.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said a “full and impartial investigation is critical” but that an investigation into war crimes allegations should be handled by the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.
Martin Nesirky says Mr Ban is considering setting up an expert panel that would advise him on the matter and “assist the (Sri Lankan) government in taking measures to address possible violations.
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International genocide and war crimes task force to be established in Paris
January 07 2010 – France 24
France plans to set up a panel to try cases of genocide and crimes against humanity at the Paris High Court (pictured), according to Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
France plans to set up a new panel to try cases of genocide and crimes against humanity, two ministers said in a newspaper column published Wednesday.
Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said legislation would be presented to parliament in the coming six months to create the new unit within the Paris high court.
The genocide and crimes against humanity unit will be given special powers to try cases of genocide and crimes against humanity that have occurred outside France’s borders and involve many jurisdictions.
The move will allow the cases to come to court more quickly and provide ways to address many of the complications that arise from the serious cases, the ministers argued.
“France, the founding nation of human rights, will never be a sanctuary for perpetrators of genocide,” they wrote in the column published in the Paris newspaper Le Monde.
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UN rapporteur urges independent war crimes probe in Sri Lanka
January 07 2010 – Earth Times
New York – An independent war crimes investigation should be conducted into last year’s fighting between Sri Lanka and Tamil Tiger rebels, during which some rebels were summarily executed, the UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial or arbitrary executions said Thursday. Philip Alston said a videotape released by British Channel 4 television last year was determined to be authentic by three experts in forensic pathology, forensic video analysis and firearm evidence hired by his office.
The tape alleged that some Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were executed by Sri Lankan soldiers in the final phase of the conflict that ended in May with a government victory.
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