Sri Lanka

New Zealand needs to lend its support to an independent international investigation into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka, Green Party human rights spokesperson Jan Logie said today.

“The Human Rights Council session presents an opportunity for New Zealand to push for accountability and protection of human rights action in regard to the worrying situation in Sri Lanka,” Ms Logie said.

“Our representatives at the United Nations should be doing all they can to support an independent investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Prime Minister has a moral obligation to raise serious human rights abuses with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse while in Colombo for CHOGM.

“Australia’s silence on human rights abuses in Sri Lanka is inexcusable complicity,” Senator Milne said.

John Key needs to tell the New Zealand public just what concerns he intends raising about human rights at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Green Party human rights spokesperson Jan Logie said today.

The United Nations says allegations of war crimes that occurred as the Sri Lankan government crushed the Tamil separatist movement in Sri Lanka have not been properly investigated.  Despite a number of commonwealth leaders boycotting the 2013 Commonwealth heads of Government meeting John Key has stated that it is better to be at CHOGM to raise concerns about human rights.

The Key Government is hiding behind Commonwealth protocols to avoid criticising the regime of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Green Party human rights spokesperson Jan Logie said today.