No faith in domestic probe - Bishop of Mannar

The Bishop of Mannar, Dr Rayappu Joseph, today said that a domestic investigation into allegations of human right violations cannot be trusted and that is the reason the Tamil people placed their faith in an international probe by the UN.

“However, we were deceived by the United Nations,” he said, speaking to reporters following a protest held in Jaffna against the deferring of the UNHRC report on Sri Lanka.

The protestors handed over a letter to the Rt Rev Dr Rayappu Joseph, requesting him to submit it to the UN Human Rights Council.

Last week, the Geneva-based human rights body agreed to temporarily hold off its consideration of a long-awaited report into alleged rights violations during the conflict in Sri Lanka for six months, until September 2015, at the request of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

Dr Rayappu Joseph charged that crimes have been committed by those within the country and questioned as to how the same persons can be appointed as judges, to probe the allegations.

He stated that if a domestic investigation is conducted it should be done so with international assistance. “That is the best way to uncover the truth.”

The Mannar Bishop further said that impartial inquiry is necessary and that to do so the suspect and the adjudicator cannot be the same person.