European Parliament on 12 May adopted a Resolution calling the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure accountability for war crimes and other grave human rights violations committed during the war that ended in May 2009.[:]
In the resolution the Parliament expresses concern at the serious nature of the allegations in the UN report and noted that the allegations which the panel found to be credible, would, if proven, indicate that a wide range of violations of international human rights law was committed both by the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, and that some of these could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In the debate, Ms Hautala regretted the dismissal by the Sri Lankan authorities of the panel report that have labeled it illegal and biased and insisted that the Parliament must not simply accept this. Instead, we must be resolute in our demand for accountability and respect for international law, she said.
At a time when credible and legitimate work of international human rights body is being discredited it is for this house to step up and defend it. It is for this house to press on all parties to take heed to what is being said and demand a follow up on what is recommended.
Sri Lankan government must implement the panel’s recommendations and immediately commence genuine investigations into the alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, she stressed and recalled:
War crimes must never go unpunished and unaccounted, no matter where they occur.