'

'
30
, 2014

, ,

.
'

'
'

'

Asma Jahangir confident about inquiry

regardless of Sri Lanka's non-cooperation
01 July 2014
One of the three international experts appointed by the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights to lead the international inquiry into mass
atrocities in Sri Lanka, Asma Jahangir, expressed confidence in the inquiry's
ability to deliver answers despite the Sri Lankan government's persistent
refusal to cooperate, in an interview with BBC Tamil.
Highlighting her previous experience in conducting UN inquiries when
governments refused to cooperate, Ms Jahangir said we have provided
very independent and reliable reports, and these have been accepted too.
A lawyer from Pakistan, Ms Jahangir, is also a former President of Pakistans
Supreme Court Bar Association and of the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan, as well as the previous holder of several Human Rights Council
mandates and member of a recent fact-finding body into Israeli
settlements.
"It will be a very difficult task for any government to stop people from
contacting investigators," she said, warning the Sri Lankan government
that any attempts to prevent people from testifying at the inquiry would
only be detrimental to them.

People will always find a way to collaborate with such inquiries," she
added.
The inquiry will begin during the first or second week of August.
The full interview by BBC Tamil is translated below:
Asma Jahangir: Our role is within our mandate. We are basically
supposed to be making recommendations to the High
Commissioner. We will ensure that the inquiry will be independent
and that human rights violations by all sides will be looked in an
unbiased manner.
BBC Tamil: The Sri Lankan government has said that it will not
cooperate with your inquiry. If it does not issue you a visa and
prevents people from being able to contact you, how will you be
able to conduct the inquiry?
Asma Jahangir: There have been international inquiries earlier also
where governments have not cooperated. Those inquiries did not
end with that. People will always find a way to collaborate with
such inquiries. It will be a very difficult task for any government to
stop people from contacting investigators. If the government
thinks of attempting to arbitrarily prevent people it will only be
detrimental to the government. At the same time, as this inquiry
looks at violations committed by all parties this inquiry is
important for the government side too.
BBC Tamil: Are you confident you can still a find a method
through which to contact the people, even if the government of Sri
Lanka does not provide you a visa?
Asma Jahangir: This is not the first UN inquiry that I am on. I have
participated in many other inquiries. I have participated in many
inquiries in which governments have not cooperated. We have
provided very independent and reliable reports, and these have
been accepted too. During those instances people always found a
way on their own, to get in contact with us.
BBC Tamil: You only have a short period of time to complete your
investigation. Is it possible to complete your work during this time
frame?
Asma Jahangir: We have to report in March to the Human Rights

Council. We now have enough experts to confirm that the

information we receive from both sides is reliable and verified, and
that we have enough contacts. We will try our utmost. If we do not
get all the information, we will state so in our March report.
BBC Tamil: During your inquiry who will you attempt to speak to?
Asma Jahangir: We always talk to victims. That is absolutely
essential. We will also speak to the persons who took the decisions
during relevant times and try to understand their point of view.
Some may not like to speak to us, but there will also be those who
will be able to speak to us. From our experience sometimes some
will get into contact with in secret. We will need to protect their
confidentiality. If we are allowed to travel to Sri Lanka we will
speak to the police. Also we will speak to a majority of the civil
society including NGOs, media, etc.
BBC Tamil: Will you attempt to bring people out of Sri Lanka to
provide statements to the inquiry?
Asma Jahangir: Sometimes we have done that and they have
come and talked to us. We have brought them to neighbouring
states or even to Geneva to get statements. If the statements are
anonymous their reliability and truthfulness will be investigated.
BBC Tamil: The government of Sri Lanka says this is a one sided
inquiry, how will you prove that it is an unbiased one?
Asma Jahangir: I think that their concern is ill-founded. I think
that none of the three people on this Commission have any biases.
We will conduct this investigation with open minds. At the same
time we understand the government's responsibility to protect its
citizens. We also must bear in mind that when a government acts
it must act in accordance with international humanitarian and
human rights law. I know that the other two colleagues due to
work with me are independent and fair persons. We have no
preconceived notions.