Sri Lanka plans panel to probe war abuses

Sri Lanka is likely to set up a truth-seeking commission this year to probe rights abuses by the army during the civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Foreign Minister said and asserted that the country would keep its pledges to achieve reconciliation with the minority Tamils.
“We are conscious on the need to retain international goodwill by keeping to our pledges to achieve reconciliation,” Mangala Samaraweera said after returning from the 32nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.
He said the commission was likely to be established by September after wide consultations with “all stakeholders”. “We have laid the foundation for all required mechanisms. We have to make correct assessments of the past events. We have to deliver reparation and justice,” he said.
At the UN meeting, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein expressed concern over the Sri Lankan government’s slow progress in implementing its pledge to probe allegations of human rights violations and war crimes.
The army has been accused of committing war crimes during the final stages. According to UN estimates, nearly 1,00,000 people were killed in the 26-year-long war.

BJP MLA, 8 Bajrang Dal men get jail
An Eklera court in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district has sentenced nine persons, including BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena, to two years in jail in a 13-year-old case of clash and vandalism. The ACJM court also fined them Rs7,000 each.
On August 21, 2003, Ajeem had lodged an FIR at the Eklera police station alleging Bajrang Dal activists led by Kanwar Lal had attacked Katfala villagers, damaged their houses and desecrated a religious place.