Tamil Parties urge setting up of of mechanism to grant redress to victimized people

Sampanthan and others write to the member states of the UNHRC     Several Tamil parties including Tamil National Alliance have written to the member states represented in the United Nations Human Rights Commission to evaluate the current situation pertaining to the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka. The communication is part of a campaign in the lead up to the 46^th session of the UNHRC in Geneva, scheduled for March. In the letter Tamil leaders including R Sampanthan, Former. Chief minister of the Northern Province and Parliamentarian C Vigneswaran and Parliamentarian G.G Ponnambalam had urged the member states to refer the atrocities committed to an appropriate and effective international accountability mechanism. They have also indicated that President of the UNHRC should refer matters on accountability in Sri Lanka back toto the UN Secretary General for action. The letter suggests that the office of the Commissioner of Human Rights (OHRC) to continue monitoring on the ongoing violations and have an OHRC field presence in the country. They have also urged the UNHRC to establish an evidence gathering mechanism similar to that of International Independent Investigatory Mechanism (IIIM) to grant redress to the people who have been denied justice thus far. At the same time People for Equality and Relief (PEARL) a Washington base organization had published a joint call for action with the Tamil Activists and Civil Organizations targeting the 46^th regular sessions of the UNHRC. They state there is no prospect for accountability in Sri Lanka by way of its own domestic mechanism or through a hybrid mechanism