Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think there are a number of reasons why they're doing this. Obviously, at a very simple level is a degree of sexual gratification for the torturers, or psychological gratification. Sometimes it appears to be about getting information, and they're showing photographs of other

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  You're most welcome. Thank you for listening.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Broadly speaking, support an independent international commission of inquiry. It's very clear that kind of accountability process will not come from inside Sri Lanka. What is worrying is the South African proposal for a truth and reconciliation commission in Sri Lanka. However t

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, it's absolutely damaging to the reputation of the Commonwealth if it's to stand for anything other than a club based on its historical links and its trade ties. I think that it's going to be extremely difficult for the Commonwealth now, or for CMAG, the Commonwealth Minister

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Well, to take one example, there were five civil servants—government doctors, Tamils—who stayed on during the war in the war zone, and were extraordinarily brave. They probably saved tens of thousands of lives with no thought to their own. Of those, four were detained at the en

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, this was a hotel called Lagoons Edge. It was built as a resort hotel, a place for parties—it had a dance floor. It was right in the heart of the war zone overlooking the massive lagoon where hundreds if not thousands of people probably died. When I talk about people, both si

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  By government workers, are we referring to any particular employees?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The evidence I found raised very serious concerns. A lot more work needs to be done to show how extensive these cases are. Seven cases in the UK amongst 12,000 is just a drop in the ocean. But the people I met had very compelling stories, with evidence to back it up, and those st

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  There were 12 cases that occurred in 2013. Being a journalist, I'm looking for the most contemporary thing. I'm looking at the ongoing situation. In the U.K. alone, I found 12 men and women, many of whom had evidence proving that they had been raped this year in Sri Lanka. Then t

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  People were resettled from the Menik Farm refugee camp, but certainly one hears of a lot of poverty and lack of income amongst these women, and the physical insecurity as well, especially amongst those who are in some way connected to the LTTE. The community shuns them now, too,

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I have a copy of the full document and I would definitely say that you should read it, the annexes as well. Quite a lot of the very important information is buried in the annexes. People don't often read those, but there is a redacted copy on the UN website. I think then some NGO

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  No. I think for many Tamils “reconciliation” has actually become a dirty word, a tainted word. When you look at the rehabilitation program—even seven cases of torture are far too many, and there well may be more out there—it goes to the heart of the issue of good faith on the par

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  If you look at the UN Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka they talk about the conduct of the war in Sri Lanka basically being a grave challenge to the entire regime of international humanitarian law. It's not just one or two war crimes. It's basically threatening the entire system. Yo

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I'm no lawyer, but I'm advised that, for example, the UN Panel of Experts report by Yasmin Sooka and the other two lawyers has never been actually formally tabled at the UN Human Rights Commission. Certainly Ms. Sooka has said that any country could do that and then it will becom

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think what's important about the UN internal inquiry report is the preamble, which puts the conflict in the context of 9/11 and the global war on terror. I think that whole labelling of the LTTE as terrorists, and you can argue about that.... But I think the fact that the war w