This refers to news reports that Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to appoint a commission to look into disappearances that occurred during the island nation’s civil war.
The move comes as Sri Lanka faces rising international criticism for failing to investigate alleged war crimes during the final stage of the quarter century-long war, which ended in 2009. The announcement gains significance as the Sri Lankan government prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. It is also clearly coincident with the impending visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillai to Colombo. Observers say that local commissions investigating alleged rights abuses have been incomplete or inconclusive. However, in view of the international attention, there is a lot of hope that the new inquiry would produce results and calm inter-ethnic tensions.
More than 100,000 people were killed in the war since it broke out in 1983. The UN in March urged Sri Lanka in a US-sponsored resolution to carry out credible investigations into killings and disappearances.
Commonwealth states such as Britain and Canada have also demanded an independent probe.
India, which is also a member of Commonwealth, recently sent its National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon to Colombo to prevail on President Mahinda Rajapaksa to speed up post-war reconciliation.
The tragic history of post–independence Sri Lanka records that the Tamils of Sri Lanka have been subjected to mass–scale mob violence in 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983. The anti-Tamil violence of July 1983 was the most terrible and horrible of them all. It remains etched in memory even after 30 years.
Tamil Tiger separatists have also been accused of committing despicable and ruthless killings of political leaders and innocent civilians during 1983-2009.
The defeat of terrorism in May 2009 has now transformed the situation. The Tigers are no more but minority grievances remain. The international community, led by India, should provide continuous support to Sri Lankans to achieve national reconciliation.
All Sri Lankans deserve a decent and humane future. A durable political settlement will pave the way for more economic growth. A strong and liberal economy will also encourage profitable private enterprises so that Sri Lankan women need not seek housemaid jobs in the Arabian Gulf. — Sanjeev Kumar, Jubail
