Sri Lanka's rejection of ESVC summit will 'become more and more obvious' - William Hague
30 September 2014
Former British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Sri Lanka's refusal to participate in the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit was an “obvious gap”, adding its rejection of the campaign will become “more and more obvious” in the months ahead.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Mr Hague hailed the countries who attended the summit in London earlier this year, calling it a “summit like no other”.
Responding to a question from the Tamil Guardian, Mr Hague said, “Sri Lanka is an obvious gap particularly since so many of these crimes have taken place there, despite all our encouragement to the Government of Sri Lanka.”
155 governments around the world signed up to a declaration at the summit, committing to prevent and punish perpetrators of sexual violence. Sri Lanka though, did not attend the summit and refused to sign the declaration.
“Sri Lanka is a more difficult case, partly because the Sri Lankan government doesn't always want past crimes to be investigated,” added the former Foreign Secretary, who is currently Leader of the House of Commons.
Despite this “Britain has led the way in securing a resolution in the human rights council of the UN calling for an international investigation” said Mr Hague, acknowledging however that “now Sri Lanka isn't co-operating with that.”
Sri Lanka's omission was particularly notable given that other countries in the region had committed to the campaign he added.
“We have India, Burma – Burma! - involved in the PSVI (Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative) campaign. And therefore as the years go by, or the months go by, the omission of Sri Lanka will become more and more obvious.”
“The main public meeting I held, which was broadcast on Sri Lankan television and reported by many papers, was about this subject," he said. "Again it's the impact we can make as Britain going to other countries and this is the thing we are talking about.”
He had earlier reiterated the weight that Britain had thrown behind the campaign, saying “Britain has enormous influence in the world. We have a seat in every table in the world.”
The work for the campaign will continue says Mr Hague, even after he steps down from the House of Commons next year.
“Failure to tackle these issues in the past sows the seeds of conflict in the future... that is the purpose often of mass rape in war. To make it harder for one community to be reconciled with the other.”
“At the heart of so many conflicts we have seen this sickening crime,” he concluded. “Unless we do something about it it will get worse.”
 William Hague opening the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit in London earlier this year. |
30 September 2014
Former British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Sri Lanka's refusal to participate in the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit was an “obvious gap”, adding its rejection of the campaign will become “more and more obvious” in the months ahead.Speaking at the sidelines of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Mr Hague hailed the countries who attended the summit in London earlier this year, calling it a “summit like no other”.
Responding to a question from the Tamil Guardian, Mr Hague said, “Sri Lanka is an obvious gap particularly since so many of these crimes have taken place there, despite all our encouragement to the Government of Sri Lanka.”
155 governments around the world signed up to a declaration at the summit, committing to prevent and punish perpetrators of sexual violence. Sri Lanka though, did not attend the summit and refused to sign the declaration.
“Sri Lanka is a more difficult case, partly because the Sri Lankan government doesn't always want past crimes to be investigated,” added the former Foreign Secretary, who is currently Leader of the House of Commons.
Despite this “Britain has led the way in securing a resolution in the human rights council of the UN calling for an international investigation” said Mr Hague, acknowledging however that “now Sri Lanka isn't co-operating with that.”
Sri Lanka's omission was particularly notable given that other countries in the region had committed to the campaign he added.
“We have India, Burma – Burma! - involved in the PSVI (Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative) campaign. And therefore as the years go by, or the months go by, the omission of Sri Lanka will become more and more obvious.”
British Ministers Hugo Swire and Mark Simmonds previously expressed disappointment at Sri Lanka’s absence, irking the then Acting Sri Lankan High Commissioner Neville de Silva in London who said the criticism was "surely misplaced".
Mr Hague also said the issue had been “taken to media and civil society” groups on the island, recalling his visit to Colombo last year where he spoke on the topic of sexual violence.“The main public meeting I held, which was broadcast on Sri Lankan television and reported by many papers, was about this subject," he said. "Again it's the impact we can make as Britain going to other countries and this is the thing we are talking about.”
He had earlier reiterated the weight that Britain had thrown behind the campaign, saying “Britain has enormous influence in the world. We have a seat in every table in the world.”
The work for the campaign will continue says Mr Hague, even after he steps down from the House of Commons next year.
“Failure to tackle these issues in the past sows the seeds of conflict in the future... that is the purpose often of mass rape in war. To make it harder for one community to be reconciled with the other.”
“At the heart of so many conflicts we have seen this sickening crime,” he concluded. “Unless we do something about it it will get worse.”
See our feature: Sexual Violence in Conflict: Sri Lanka (09 June 2014)
Also see more coverage below:
Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict concludes with declaration (16 June 2014)
Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict concludes with declaration (16 June 2014)
'Time to shatter culture of impunity' (10 June 2014)
International protocol launched to increase prosecutions of sexual violence in conflict (11 June 2014)
Sexual violence in conflict is a threat to int’l peace and security say world leaders, call for end to impunity (12 June 2014)
