Obama Must Prosecute Bush-Era Crimes: United Nations
By Colombo Telegraph -March 7, 2013
The United Nations says the United States has failed to prosecute cases of criminal acts among Bush-era officials, while insisting on the release of a report on its terrorism program.
Bush and Mahinda
Ben Emmerson, U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism called on the United States on Monday to publish its findings on the CIA’s Bush-era program of rendition and secret detention of terrorism suspects.
“Despite this clear repudiation of the unlawful actions carried out by the Bush-era CIA, many of the facts remain classified, and no public official has so far been brought to justice in the United States,” Emmerson said in a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council.
He said that Bush’s “war on terror” waged after 9/11 led to “gross or systematic” violations involving secret prisons for Islamic militant suspects, clandestine transfers and torture.
Emmerson went on to criticize US President Barack Obama’s administration for failing to prosecute criminal acts committed under the Bush administration, while allowing “impunity for the public officials implicated in these crimes” by citing the “superior orders defense” and secrecy based on national security grounds.
Source agency reports.
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SL can teach human rights to US and EU says CJ
Chief Justice Mohan Peiris has said that Sri Lanka could teach lessons on human rights to the US and the EU although they are trying to teach human rights to Sri Lanka now in Geneva.“Today at the Geneva conference, the European commission and the US have joined hands to dictate terms to us on human rights. They started to talk about human rights after the second world war, but as a nation we have a 2500-year-old tradition of human rights protection. In fact, we can teach them some lessons in human rights. Today we have the opportunity to enjoy freedom but it would be a reality only if we uphold the rule of law. Any matter that could not be solved through the officials could be brought to my notice by sending a postcard to my address at Colombo 12,” the Chief Justice said.
Chief Justice Mohan Peiris also asked the public to send him a postcard stating their grievances if they cannot solve them through the officials and authorities in the areas, he would provide relief on the part of the judiciary.
Addressing a public meeting at Bakamuna following the opening of the Bakamuna circuit court building he stressed that the services of the judiciary were now available to the people at their doorstep.
“I as the Chief Justice would carry out my duties in a humble manner. I am a person who respects and believes in religion. Sometimes I have a fear about my responsibilities as well. But when I came here and saw I gained confidence. There is nothing to fear. If there is a problem you cannot solve through the officials in the area take a postcard, write it and send to the Chief Justice, Colombo 12. You will get relief,” he said.
“All those concerned including the justice ministry, judges and the lawyers have a major role in this process. It is their responsibility to respond to the grievances of the people’s sensitively. If the judiciary is not sensitive, the law will serve no purpose. However, it is the duty of the people to respect the judiciary that protects their rights.(Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa )
