Picture courtesy Tamil Guardian
The soft copy of the Report from the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Into Complaints of Abductions And Disappearances chaired by Maxwell Paranagama is now available online.
“The Darusman Report… found credible allegations comprising five core categories of potential serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed by the SLA, including large-scale and widespread shelling causing civilian deaths, and attacks on hospitals,” an excerpt from the executive summary reads.
Among the major points of contention are the estimate of up to 40,000 civilian deaths in the final phase of conflict, the exemption of the LTTE from the international crime of using human shields, the failure to take into account the true impact of hostage taking, forced recruitment and the use of human shields on the international humanitarian law principles of distinction and proportionality, and the emphasis on prosecutions as an essential aspect of any transitional justice process.