“There is ample evidence in the despatches of UK Defence attache that the Sri Lanka Government at the time and its Security Forces did not have a policy to kill Tamil civilians. Indeed they went out of their way to rescue them with considerable success despite danger and losses to themselves, Hon.President of the All Party Parliamentary British-Sri Lanka group Lord Naseby has written to UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet responding to her highly critical report on Sri Lanka titled, “Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.”
The report was tabled at the 46th Human Rights Council Sessions, currently being held in Geneva. Lord Naseby has written that the UK Government holds the evidence of the UK Defence attache Lt. Col.Gash during his period of service in Sri Lanka as to how many people died in the final phases of the battle against terrorism. By not providing these despatches in un-redacted form, the British Government is hindering the process of establishing the truth of what really happened at the end of the Sri Lanka battle against terrorism.
Britain is the lead member of the Core Group on Sri Lanka which is mooting another negative Resolution on the country based on the High Commissioner’s report based on ‘erroneous information,’ according to Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. A vote among member states on the Resolution is expected at the end of the session late March.
Lord Naseby has also questioned the UK Government’s silence on Adele Balasingham, “given Britain’s interest in seeking the truth and accountability for human rights.”
She was one of the key Tamil Tiger personnel deeply involved in the recruitment, training and possibly deployment of child soldiers.
“The evidence of Balasingham confessing her involvement in the LTTE’s activities and adorning suicide cyanide capsule chains on the necks of female child soldiers may be readily seen in the documentary “Inside Story:Suicide Killers” broadcast on BBC 1 on October 23 1991 at 21:30.