Govt criticises Sri Lanka war report

13 Feb 2012, 7:13 pm   -   Source: AAP

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is accused of weakness for failing to add Australia's voice to calls for an independent investigation into Sri Lanka's civil war.

Australia has added its voice to international criticism of a Sri Lankan government report on the country's civil war but stopped short of joining calls for a fresh, independent inquiry.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) - set up by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in May 2010 - released its report on the final stages of the 26-year conflict two months ago.

The Canadian and British governments have been among critics of the report, saying it does not properly address persistent allegations that both sides in the conflict committed war crimes.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday said while the report contained some constructive proposals, he agreed it did not fully address allegations of international human rights law violations.

"The Australian government has consistently urged Sri Lanka to investigate all allegations of crimes committed by both sides to the conflict," Mr Rudd said in a statement.

"In light of the report's failure to comprehensively address such allegations, we continue to call on Sri Lanka for all such allegations to be investigated in a transparent and independent manner."

It is critical the Sri Lankan government endorses the LLRC report's constructive elements and sets clear timeframes for their implementation, Mr Rudd added.

A series of reports, including one by a UN Panel of Experts, have accused Sri Lanka of committing war crimes during its final 2009 offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The offensive crushed the Tigers, bringing the decades-old civil war to an end. The Tigers have also been accused of atrocities.

Rights groups have dismissed the LLRC report as a whitewash and have intensified calls for an independent international investigation into the war.

But Mr Rudd's response stops short of such demands.

The Australian Tamil Congress welcomed Mr Rudd's contribution but made it clear it wants to see the government go further.

"With the UN Human Rights Council session sitting in a few weeks, we hope Mr Rudd will take a strong stand in ensuring that an international mechanism is set up to investigate allegations on both sides, as recommended by the UN Panel of Experts report," the ATC's Varuni Bala said.

Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon said Mr Rudd was out of step with other western nations in failing to call for another more credible probe.

"This is a disappointing and weak response," Senator Rhiannon said.

"While Mr Rudd is critical of Sri Lanka's report, he is asking the Sri Lankan government to go back to the drawing table and have another go.

"Minister Rudd has shown himself to prioritise maintaining Australia's relationship with Sri Lanka above addressing war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Sri Lankan Ambassador to Australia Thisara Samarasinghe was unavailable for comment.

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