- In the coastal town of Aluthgama, south of Colombo, witnessed violent clashes in which four persons died and most Muslims, were injured following a rally of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a hard-line Sinhala Buddhist organisation.
- U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay announced that the three experts-
- Former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari,a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate,also served as a U.N. diplomat and mediator.
- Former Governor-General and High Court judge of New Zealand Silvia Cartwright,a judge of the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts in Cambodia and former member of the U.N. Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
- Former president of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir,a previous holder of several Human Rights Council mandates and member of a fact- finding body into Israeli settlements
- Will bring the highest standards of integrity, independence, impartiality and,provide advice as well as independent verification throughout the investigation.
- The Investigation Team will consist of 12 staff, including investigators, forensics experts,a gender specialist, a legal analyst and various other staff.
- Ms. Pillay mentioned that the three experts will guide and support the team set up to conduct a comprehensive investigation of alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka,including Hindus, Muslims and Christians that was mandated by the Human Rights Council (HRC).
- Sri Lanka refused to cooperate with the Office of the High Commissioner and rejected the U.S.-backed resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council.
- Read at:http://www.thehindu.com/
todays-paper/tp-international/ asma-jahangir-two-others-to- assist-un-rights-probe-in-sri- lanka/article6149775.ece
Exams Perspective:
- Sectarian Violence in Srilanka
- Human Rights violations during Ealam IV
- Ealam IV
- U.N. Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women