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Those who raped and executed those who surrenderedmust be held accountable - EU

 

27 March 2016

The European Union's Charge d'Affaires to Sri Lanka Paul Godfrey said in aninterview that those who violated codes of good conduct ust !e heldaccounta!le"

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8/19/2019 Those Who Raped and Executed Those Who Surrendered Must Be Held Accountable - EU

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!e convinced that the progress is irreversi!le"(

See the full interview here"

Govt has made good progress

3UT 6E#%/ST5ATA3LE P5%G5ESS /EE6E6 T% 5EGA*/ GSP, SA7S EU E/8%79

!y #an+ula 4ernando:Sunday, 27 March 2016

The har!e d"a##a$res o# the EU, %aul &od#rey sa$d the

#ormer Sr$ 'an(an &o)ernment )$olated 1* U+ humanr$!hts con)ent$ons but were now on trac( and obser)$n! amaor$ty o# them .n the l$!ht o# th$s re-!a$n$n! the &S%plus tar$## concess$on $n the near #uture was a poss$b$l$ty,he sa$d

.n an $nter)$ew w$th the Sunday /bser)er last wee(, hesa$d the demand #or an $nternat$onal $nu$ry on alle!ed war cr$mes $n Sr$ 'an(a had been shel)ed and al$!n$n! w$th the U+ uman $!hts $!h omm$ss$oner

3U+4, was help$n! Sr$ 'an(a to address outstand$n! $ssues to re$n)$!orateexports to the cruc$al European mar(et

5Sr$ 'an(a $s on-trac(, meet$n! the maor$ty o# concerns,5 the char!e d"a##a$res sa$dadd$n! that the U+"s recent comments $n &ene)a, was an $nd$cat$on o# Sr$'an(a"s pro!ress

The EU was $n the #ore#ront demand$n! an $nternat$onal mechan$sm to probeaccountab$l$ty and war cr$mes alle!at$ons a!a$nst Sr$ 'an(a, stemm$n! #rom the 26- year war w$th the 'TTE

'Excerpts...

Q: hat $s the EU"s )$ew on Sr$ 'an(a"s ourney towards reconc$l$at$on and durablepeace, th$s $s t$ed to the renewal o# &S% plus tar$## concess$ons

 A: .n broad terms, we support the U+"s )$ew e are on the same l$nesExcellent pro!ress has been made dur$n! the past year or so There $s a lon! way to !o e need to see cont$nued pro!ress $n reconc$l$at$on and human r$!hts

 Pic: Thushara Fernando

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The &S% plus $s a spec$#$c concess$on the EU o##ers, based on the $mplementat$on o# 27U+ $nternat$onal con)ent$ons +$ne teen relate to human r$!hts .t was w$thdrawn $n2010 because the pre)$ous !o)ernment )$olated 1* o# these con)ent$ons

Th$s !o)ernment has made !ood pro!ress 8ut there are some areas, wheredemonstrable pro!ress was neeeded e are wor($n! w$th the !o)ernment to clear

them

Q: The !o)ernment $s anx$ous to re!a$n the &S% plus concess$ons, the people arehope#ul hat comm$tments are outstand$n! on the part o# the S' !o)ernment

 A: 9lout$n! 1* U+ con)ent$ons led to th$s lear pro!ress $n all #$#teen con)ent$onsmust be seen These relate to the .nternat$onal on)ent$on on $)$l and %ol$t$cal$!hts, the on)ent$on on Torture and the h$ld $!hts on)ent$on These threecon)ent$ons are the most $mportant, where Sr$ 'an(a had #a$led e must becon)$nced that the pro!ress $s $rre)ers$ble

Tariff concessions

Q: :ou sa$d Sr$ 'an(a #altered $n 1* areas ow many o# them do they st$ll need to wor( on

 A: e ha)en"t made a #ormal assessment Sr$ 'an(a $s on trac(, meet$n! the maor$tyo# concerns

Q: .s there a t$me#rame when Sr$ 'an(a w$ll re!a$n the tar$## concess$ons $ll $t beposs$ble th$s year

 A: Sr$ 'an(a $s #ree to ma(e an appl$cat$on .t $s cond$t$on- based and not t$me-based.# a re-assurance could be !$)en $n the com$n! wee(, then an appl$cat$on could bemade The a)era!e process$n! t$me between appl$cat$on and the concess$ons be$n!!ranted $s about e$!ht to 10 monthsThe %h$l$pp$nes d$d $t $n e$!ht months last year

%ro!ress w$ll be e)aluated throu!hout the appl$cat$on process hat the U+sa$d when he !a)e h$s assessment $n &ene)a $s an $nd$cat$on o# Sr$ 'an(a"s pro!ress

Q: h$ch cate!ory o# tar$## concess$ons w$ll Sr$ 'an(a ual$#y to !a$n th$s t$me, $# $t#ul#$lls EU cond$t$ons

 A:There are d$##erent cate!or$es o# tar$## concess$ons !ranted by the EU and &S% plus$s a un$ue concess$on pro)$ded to a #ew countr$es

 :ou ha)e to be a lower m$ddle $ncome country to ual$#y Sr$ 'an(a $s a lower m$ddle$ncome country so $t ual$#$esQ: oncess$ons w$ll be e##ect$)e #or only three years

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 A: .t $s re)$ewed on the country"s status hen the country !raduates to upper m$ddle$ncome cate!ory, then $t w$ll lose the concess$ons

There $s no $mm$nent poss$b$l$ty o# such a s$tuat$on .t may happen by 2020 or 202*

Q: $ll the ban on Sr$ 'an(an #$sher$es exports to the EU be l$#ted shortly

 A: The ban on #$sher$es exports $s someth$n! that the M$n$stry o# 9$sher$es $n Sr$ 'an(aand my collea!ues $n the #$sher$es department $n 8russels are wor($n! on Mycollea!ues were pleased w$th the pro!ress There are one or two areas that ha)eshortcom$n!s e hope the ban can be l$#ted $n the com$n! months

Th$s $s also a cond$t$on-based process rather than t$me-based

Q: There were alle!at$ons a!a$nst the EU that the w$thdrawal o# the &S% plusconcess$ons and the #$sh$n! exports ban $mposed on Sr$ 'an(a were a$med at

pun$sh$n! the #ormer !o)ernment and $t was a pol$t$cal w$tch-hunt by a sect$on o# the$nternat$onal commun$ty ow would you respond to th$s alle!at$on

 A: There $s no pol$t$cal bas$s #or any o# the dec$s$ons 8oth dec$s$ons were made onspec$#$c techn$cal !rounds . already sa$d the pre)$ous !o)ernment )$olated 1* U+on)ent$ons The !o)ernment was !$)en ample opportun$ty to address the $ssues, but$t d$d not show an $nterest $n e)en en!a!$n! $n d$alo!ue e had no cho$ce but to w$thdraw the &S% plus concess$on .t $s not a step that we doo#ten Th$s $s an except$on rather than the rule .t was the same w$th re!ard to the#$sh$n! ban

 e h$!hl$!hted the concerns o# the .nd$an /cean Tuna omm$ss$on 8ut the!o)ernment at the t$me showed no $nterest to en!a!e w$th $nternat$onal bod$es toaddress these concerns .# you don"t play by $nternat$onal rules, then you ha)e to #acethe repercuss$ons

Fish resources

Q: .s $t correct to say an EU team w$ll be here shortly to e)aluate the pro!ress by Sr$'an(a to renew the &S% plus tar$## concess$ons

 A: There was a team wh$ch came $n ;anuary and made a pro)$s$onal assessment Morepro!ress needs to be made The next meet$n! $s $n 8russels, where the 'an(an!o)ernment would set out the pro!ress made +o spec$#$c date $s set .t would be $n thecom$n! wee(s

Q: Sr$ 'an(a has already banned #ore$!n )essels #rom #$sh$n! $n $ts terr$tor$al waters .t was one o# the (ey concerns

 A: . th$n( the spec$#$c concern was about ha)$n! #ore$!n )essels sa$l$n! w$th the Sr$

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'an(an #la! but not traceable electron$cally There was no way to obser)e them9ore$!n )essels, pa$d to Sr$ 'an(a but explo$ted the #$sh resources wh$ch ra$seda##ected susta$nab$l$ty and l$)el$hood o# local #$shermenQ: The EU $s sat$s#$ed w$th the measures ta(en so #ar to address $t

 A:That area has been sat$s#actor$ly #ul#$lled The !o)ernment has already made

pro!ress $n electron$c mon$tor$n! o# )essels These are $mportant #or susta$nab$l$ty o#the sector amon! other th$n!s

Q: as there a concern that under the !u$se o# #$sh$n! boats, spy )essels could beoperat$n! $n Sr$ 'an(an waters

 A: +o . ha)en"t heard o# that

Q: The EU was press$n! #or an $nternat$onal mechan$sm to probe war cr$mesalle!at$ons a!a$nst Sr$ 'an(a The U+, at the $nau!urat$on o# the March

sess$ons, howe)er, d$d not renew h$s call #or an $nternat$onal $n)est$!at$on hat $s theEU"s latest stance

 A: /ur pos$t$on $s al$!ned w$th the $!h omm$ss$oner"s Emphas$s $s on thecred$b$l$ty o# the process .# $t pro)$des accountab$l$ty #or the cr$mes that are alle!edand ust$ce #or )$ct$ms, the people $n)ol)ed don"t concern us .t"s #or Sr$ 'an(a to ud!e whether or not $t has su##$c$ent expert$se and obect$)$ty to pro)$de con#$dence to the )$ct$ms and that the s$tuat$on would be addressed

Q: The 98. $dent$#$ed the 'TTE as one o# the most ruthless terror$st or!an$sat$ons $nthe world Europe $s #ac$n! a s$m$lar, $# not a !reater threat w$th .S.S 9$!ht$n! aterror$st or!an$sat$on $s more d$##$cult than en!a!$n! $n a con)ent$onal war <o youth$n( the $nternat$onal commun$ty d$sre!arded th$s #act when call$n! #or accountab$l$ty and war cr$mes $n)est$!at$ons on Sr$ 'an(a

 A: hy do we cons$der people as terror$sts 8ecause they operate outs$de the common )alue systems

 hat we need to combat terror$sm $s to stand up #or #undamental )alues, such asdemocracy, human r$!hts and the rule o# law Th$s means people who err most, whether they are $n)ol)ed $n #$!hts a!a$nst terror$sm or not, need to be held

accountable #or these act$ons, that stren!then our o)erall messa!e a!a$nst terror$smand shows a clear d$st$nct$on between those who are terror$sts and those $n lawen#orcement

There $s no doubt the Sr$ 'an(an army and pol$ce had to combat the terror$st threatposed by the 'TTE, but $t seems #rom alle!at$ons that there were certa$n act$onsouts$de the pract$ce o# !ood conduct that we expect #rom the Sr$ 'an(an armed #orces.# th$s $s true, then those who acted $n that manner should be held accountable

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There $s no excuse #or rap$n! women, or execut$n! those who surrendered Those arethe ($nds o# )$olat$ons that we #eel need to be addressed, by wh$che)er ud$c$almechan$sm Sr$ 'an(a cons$ders appropr$ate .t"s $mportant that cr$mes comm$tted byall s$des, Sr$ 'an(an armed #orces, 'TTE terror$sts or param$l$tary #orces be addressed.t should not be a process spec$#$cally tar!et$n! the Sr$ 'an(an armed #orces