SL's behaviour demonstrates need for international inquiry - Pasumai Thaayagam Tamil Guardian 11 March 2013 Addressing the Human Rights Council on Monday during the 22nd session currently underway, Kartiga Thavaraj of the Tamil Nadu based NGO - Pasumai Thaayagam or 'Green Motherland' said, 'the Government of Sri Lanka’s behavior demonstrates the need for the Council to convene an independent international mechanism to investigate Sri Lanka’s alleged violations of international law, as recommended by the High Commissioner'.  See here for full address. ........................................................................................ Check against delivery 22nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council                                           March 11 2013                                                Geneva Item 3 – General Debate  Torture and the State  Pasumai Thaayagam  Delivered by: Kartiga Thavaraj Thank you Mr. President.  Pasumai Thaayagam welcomes the report of Mr. Juan Mendez, Special Rapporteur on  torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The act of torture represents one of the gravest forms of abuse of power by a state. In his  latest report, Mr. Mendez affirms the state’s imperative role in ensuring freedom from  torture, and particularly stresses that special protection be afforded to minorities and  marginalized groups. A state’s obligation is not simply to refrain from inflicting torture,  but to prohibit, prevent and redress torture within its borders and by its agents.1  Mr. President, many of Mr. Mendez’s observations and recommendations apply to  countries outside this report. Similar to his observations on Western Sahara, the state of  Sri Lanka exhibits a pattern of torture and ill-treatment by police officers and armed  forces. Human Rights Watch and Freedom from Torture have compiled medical evidence  of over 55 cases since the end of the armed conflict detailing the use of torture by Sri  Lankan police and military personnel, overwhelmingly against Tamils.2 Evidence of the  prevalence of torture in Sri Lanka has also been corroborated by the testimony of a  former Sri Lankan soldier, who served in the army for over fifteen years, and testified at  his own refugee hearing in Canada that the military tortured civilians.3 Despite recommendations by several states during its Universal Periodic Review in  November, Sri Lanka has yet to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against  Torture. To echo Mr. Mendez’s recommendation to the government of Tajikistan, it is  important for the government of Sri Lanka to expedite a prompt, impartial and thorough  investigation into all allegations of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or  punishment. However, the state’s failure in this regard, reflects the culture of impunity  institutionally entrenched in Sri Lanka.  The Government of Sri Lanka’s behavior demonstrates the need for the Council to  convene an independent international mechanism to investigate Sri Lanka’s alleged  violations of international law, as recommended by the High Commissioner. Furthermore, we urge the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture to request a visit  to Sri Lanka, so that the ongoing crimes may be documented.  Thank you Mr. President. ......................................................................................................................... 1 UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading  treatment or punishment, 1 February 2013, A/HRC/22/53, available at:  http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/51136ae62.html, 23-24. 2 “Sri Lankan Tamils Tortured on Return from the UK”, (14 September 2012), Freedom from Torture,  http://www.freedomfromtorture.org/document/briefing/6660; “United Kingdom: Halt Deportation Flight to Sri Lanka”  (15 Sept. 2012); Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/09/15/united-kingdom-halt-deportation-flightsri-lanka; and “We Will Teach you a Lesson: Sexual violence Against Tamils by Sri Lankan Security Forces” (26 Feb  2013), Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/srilanka0213webwcover_0.pdf.  3 “Sri Lankan Army deserter gives ‘rare’ insider account of government forces torturing civilians”, (29 November  2012), National Post, http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/11/29/sri-lankan-army-deserter-gives-rare-insider-account-ofgovernment-forces-torturing-civilians/.