UN Human Rights Chief in war ofwords with Govt.

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein on Friday criticised the continuing attacks by the Sri Lankan Government on "the integrity of the UN Human Rights Office's ongoing investigation into alleged grave human rights violations and abuses in Sri Lanka, and condemned the intimidation of human rights defenders and individuals who may wish to cooperate with the investigation."

A statement issued by UN Human Rights Chief's office in Geneva on Friday says:

"This continuing campaign of distortion and disinformation about the investigation, as well as the insidious attempts to prevent possible bona fide witnesses from submitting information to the investigating team, is an affront to the United Nations Human Rights Council which mandated the investigation.

"The Government of Sri Lanka has refused point blank to cooperate with the investigation despite being explicitly requested by the Human Rights Council to do so.

"Such a refusal does not, however, undermine the integrity of an investigation set up by the Council -- instead it raises concerns about the integrity of the government in question. Why would governments with nothing to hide go to such extraordinary lengths to sabotage an impartial international investigation?

"The Government's attempts to deter and intimidate individuals from submitting evidence to a UN investigation team is unacceptable conduct for any Member State of the United Nations which has committed to uphold the UN Charter," the High Commissioner said.

"Since the end of the conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has contin- ued to obstruct any independent investigation despite the persistent, compelling and widespread allegations that possible serious international crimes were committed by both sides during the conflict in Sri Lanka.

"The High Commissioner noted that Sri Lankan civil society organizations and human rights defenders have continued to be subjected to surveillance, harassment and other forms of intimidation.

"A wall of fear has been created that has undoubtedly served to deter people from submitting evidence.

"The High Commissioner rejected this week's false and unsubstantiated accusations by the Sri Lankan Government that the conduct of the investigation has been 'unprofessional' and that its approach is 'selective and biased.'"

"He also rejected as 'absurd' the accusation that the investi- gation was somehow compromised by the arrest of a man who was allegedly in possession of blank signed forms that would then be fraudulently filled in and submitted to the investigation……"

In a letter to Prince alHussain, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ravinatha Aryasinha declared that "you have chosen to cast aspersions and denigrate a democratically elected Government. In fact, some countries have, on extremely cogent grounds, rejected mandates of the Council previously in much stronger ways, and have not been censured in the manner as in this instance. This undoubtedly confirms the double standards being applied. This type of action on your part would regrettably constrain constructive engagement which the Government of Sri Lanka has consistently sought to pursue."