http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2011/s3257956.htm
Presented by Kerry O'Brien, "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" goes to air again on Saturday July 9th at 8.30pm on ABC News 24 (Digital Channel).
It is also available on ABC iview (see below link):
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/series/four%20corners
Produced by the Channel 4 in Britain, the program forensically investigates allegations that up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed as Sri Lankan Government forces moved in to destroy the Tamil Tiger army. The program provides evidence that while the 'Tigers' used civilians as human shields, the Government forces repeatedly shelled civilians who had been offered sanctuary in "no fire zones". The footage contained in the documentary allows you to judge for yourself.
“The most important film that I have ever reported” – Jon Snow - Renowned British Journalist.
Background
The civil war in Sri Lanka was declared over in May 2009 when the Sri Lankan military claimed victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In the face of the Sri Lankan Government's blockade of independent media and international monitors into Northern Sri Lanka, reports and evidence emerged from independent investigations conducted by “War Without Witness” that Sri Lankan military forces used banned arms such as cluster bombs and chemical weapons (including Phosgene and Mustard Gas) in their attacks leading to what the UN estimates to be 25000-30000 civilian deaths in the last week of fighting alone. This is on top of the estimated 7000 civilian deaths that are believed to have occurred due to the conflict between January - March 2009.
The Sri Lankan Government’s continued blockade of independent media and international monitors into the Northern regions of the country has meant that the truth of the extent of the humanitarian crisis has been largely shielded from the world.
In June 2010, the UN chief asked a panel of experts to advise him on the evidence available relating to the conduct by both sides in the closing months of the war. In a report published in April this year, the panel of experts concluded that there was credible evidence that up to 40,000 people were killed in the final months of the civil war between the Tamil Tigers and Government forces.
The UN report called for the creation of an international mechanism to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and international human rights laws committed by Sri Lankan Government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
This film provides powerful evidence that will lend new urgency to the panel's call for an international inquiry, including harrowing interviews with eye-witnesses, new photographic stills, official Sri Lankan Army video footage, and satellite imagery.
The issues raised in the documentary is of particular relevance to Australia and Australians given the following points:
- Some of the alleged Sri Lankan War Criminals (including Dr Palitha Kohona) have Australian citizenship or diplomatic positions affiliated with Australia and are intending to attend the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) due to be held later this year in Perth, as representatives for the Sri Lankan Government
- The Refugee Situation
- A freeze and cessation of foreign aid is being proposed by several Ministers and other prominent Politicians across Australia
- A Boycott of Sri Lankan products and exports as well as a potential Sports Boycott similar to what was imposed on South Africa while the Apartheid Policy was maintained and Nelson Mandela continued to be imprisoned- has been proposed by several segments of the Australian community including several Australian cricketers who have raised the possibility of not touring Sri Lanka (please see article and poll that has been published in Australian Age Newspaper for more information):
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/sport-cannot-turn-a-blind-eye-201...
Sport cannot turn a blind eye
Footage sparks calls for Sri Lanka war crimes probe
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/05/3261911.htm?section=world
By Stephen Dziedzic
Updated Tue Jul 5, 2011 9:40pm AEST
Australian politicians are calling for an international investigation of apparent war crimes in Sri Lanka.
A documentary aired on ABC1's Four Corners on Monday night showed evidence of rape, torture and murder of civilians during Sri Lanka's civil war.
Last year, a United Nations panel of experts found there was credible evidence that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the conflict.
The British television documentary shows Tamil Tigers using civilians as human shields but it also reveals government forces shelling civilians who had been offered sanctuary in no-fire zones.
MPs on both sides of politics are agitating for an inquiry.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd says the United Nations Human Rights Council needs to reinvestigate the issue.
"I believe their deliberation on it was inadequate and I would call upon - as does the Australian Government through its mission in Geneva - the Human Rights Council to revisit this matter and to examine once again whether their original findings can any longer be regarded as well founded," he said.
"Australia believes fundamentally in human rights, international human rights law.
"No-one watching this program could emerge from that undisturbed and we don't either."
The Sri Lankan government has questioned the vision's authenticity.
Labor MP and former UN lawyer Melissa Parke says it is impossible to say if all the footage is genuine.
But she says the images are disturbing.
"War itself always involves horrors but even in war there are laws, and international humanitarian law and international human rights law provides that even in war certain actions are not permissible," she said.
"So some of the things we saw on the footage is absolutely not permissible under international law."
A UN panel has called for an investigation of the violence committed by both sides.
Ms Parke says the Sri Lankan government should agree to that.
"As a matter of principle countries should have the courage and confidence to allow a fair examination of their military conduct and to give justice where crimes against international law are committed," she said.
"And in the fight against terrorism, which clearly Sri Lanka has been engaged in, democratic governments distinguish themselves by the standards they uphold.
"So I think that it's in the interest of Sri Lanka to have these claims properly looked at."
Tamils in Australia are planning to step up their lobbying of MPs on the issue.
Varuni Bala from the Australian Tamil Congress says the footage shows there is a need for an independent investigation.
"Both sides are accused of war crimes and this is exactly why we need an independent international investigation to find out the truth," she said.
"Before any kind of reconciliation can happen we need truth to come out and justice to prevail and people held responsible."
MPs want scrutiny
They will get a receptive audience in some quarters - several Labor MPs have spoken out calling for more scrutiny.
The issue has also stirred debate in Coalition ranks.
One backbencher used the party room meeting to argue the Government should consider suspending foreign aid to the Sri Lankan Government.
UN report finds Sri Lankan troops targeted civilians
http://www.theage.com.au/world/un-report-finds-sri-lankan-troops-targete...
The Age Newspaper
Daniel Flitton
April 18, 2011
SRI Lankan troops deliberately targeted civilians, aid agencies and hospitals in the final days of the bitter civil war with Tamil separatists, a United Nations investigation has found.
It has also called for an independent investigation of ''credible'' allegations of war crimes resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians - far higher than previous estimates.
The UN report into the final six months of the 30-year conflict that ended in May 2009 found more than 330,000 people were trapped by the fighting as remnants of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were encircled by government forces.
It said the Sri Lankan troops ''shelled on a large scale in three consecutive No Fire Zones, where it had encouraged the civilian population to concentrate … It shelled the United Nations hub, food distribution lines and near the … Red Cross ships that were coming to pick up the wounded.''
But the report was also highly critical of the LTTE, saying it executed civilians who attempted to escape the conflict zone after February 2009, significantly adding to the number of casualties. The LTTE also forcibly pressed civilians into fighting to fill its declining ranks.
The UN report, by a three-member expert panel led by former Indonesian attorney-general Marzuki Darusman, was delivered to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-m