Submissions to OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka

On 5 August 2014, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued the following
notice:

In its resolution A/HRC/25/1 adopted in March 2014 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and
human rights in Sri Lanka, the United Nations Human Rights Council requested the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake a comprehensive investigation into alleged serious
violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka during the period
covered by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), and to establish the facts and
circumstances of such alleged violations and of the crimes perpetrated with a view to avoiding impunity
and ensuring accountability, with assistance from relevant experts and special procedures mandate
holders.

In accordance with this UN Human Rights Council mandate, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has
established the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL).The mandate of OISL includes violations of
international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as related crimes. The timeframe OISL is interested in
is February 21, 2002 to November 15, 2011 but OISL is willing to consider any other contextual or relevant
information that falls outside this time.

Submissions to OHCHR
Anyone wishing to make submissions to the investigation may do so as follows:
1. Organizations and individuals may make a written submission in English, Tamil or Sinhalese, not exceeding
ten pages, and must include the contact details for the author(s) of the submission
2. The Panel will receive submissions until 30 October 2014
3. Submissions should specify if the submission or parts of it should be treated confidentially
4. Any video, audio or photographic material related to the submissions should not be submitted via email
5. Written submissions may be sent by email (OISL_submissions@ohchr.org) or by post:
OISL
UNOG-OHCHR
8-14 Rue de la Paix
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
6. OISL will take all necessary measures and precautions to protect the confidentiality of information it
receives.

Further information is available here:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/OISL.aspx

In the United States, the Tamil American Legal Team has been working with USTPAC, PEARL and legal
professionals in coordinating evidence collection for the past four years. Our experienced team can assist those
willing to provide evidence.

If you or anyone you know wishes to provide any evidence, please contact us at 202-725-8745. Please note that
all information regarding those seeking assistance will be protected as attorney-client privileged and
confidential.

See below for general criteria for potential witnesses, as well as specific events for which we are seeking
witnesses. Please do not hesitate to call if you would like any further details.


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OISL EVIDENCE COLLECTION

I. General Criteria for Potential Witnesses

Any person who witnessed or experienced:
-shelling of civilians (i.e. No Fire Zones, hospitals, ICRC ships, UN hub, food distribution lines)
-torture
-extrajudicial killings
-disappearances
-embargo/blockade preventing access to medical supplies, humanitarian aid, food etc
-land grabs (i.e. taking Tamil land for High Security Zones)
-arbitrary arrest
-abuse in government custody (i.e. prison riots, excessive force used by prison guards)
-indefinite detention
-sexual violence
-any injustice based on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (i.e. indefinite detention, detention without
charge, detention without access to family/lawyers)
-government harassment/surveillance

II. Specific Instances of Particular Interest

A. Obstruction of Humanitarian Aid
-People who suffered severe harm as a result of the SLAs preventing medical supplies, food, batteries, etc.
from being transported into the area where they lived
-Post-tsunami relief obstructed by GoSL
-Specific knowledge of GoSL purposely suppressing the true number of civilians in the conflict zones, and/or
warning/disciplining Tamil govt officials for disclosing true numbers

B. Victims of Attacks on Religious Institutions
- Pesalai church massacre
- Madhu church
- Kilinochchi church bombing
- Vankalai church 2006
- Christmas eve killing Baticaloa MP Pararajasingam

C. Victims of Shelling / Aerial Bombardment
- Sencholai
- Hospitals (North and East)
- Suthanthirapuram (UN hub)
- Puthukuddiyiruppu (PTK Hospital)
- Putumattalan (makeshift hospital known as Putumattalan or Mathalan Hospital)
- Ampalavanpokkanai
- Karaiyamullivaikkal and Vellamullivaikkal (hospital also known as Mullivaikal West)
- Shelling in Muthur, Vakarai

D. Massacres / Mass Graves
- Chemmani
- Saththurukkondaan massacre

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- Trinco 5
- ACF
- Alaipitty, J affna
- Abduction and killing (including rape of) TRO volunteers travelling from the East to Vanni
- Identification of actual mass graves for evidence preservation and potential mass graves for further
investigations
- Firsthand knowledge of destruction of mass graves, burning/incineration of human remains, destruction of
cemeteries
- Witnesses to any killing of civilians who attempted to flee conflict zones into government controlled areas

E. Killing of Journalists
- Taraki Sivaram
- Aiyathurai Nadesan
- Mylvaganam Nimalarajan -- J affna BBC Tamil correspondent
- Lasantha Wickrematunga
- Shoba/Isaipriya
- Selvarajah Rajeewarnam (Uthayan reporter)
- Subash Chandrabose(ed. of Nilam)
- Subramaniyam Sugirtharajah (killed shortly after reporting on Trinco 5)
- Nov. 2007 air strike on Voice of Tigers station -- several reporters and staff were killed

F. White Flag Incident
- People who witnessed individuals surrendering to GoSL in May 2009
- People (relatives) who were contacted by the surrendered who informed their loved ones of their intent to
surrender
- People who witnessed individuals who surrendered to GoSL in May 2009 later in government custody

G. IDP-related Crimes
- Disappearances
- Sexual abuse in the camps, such as Manik Farm
- Torture of camp residents
- Unlawful detention (e.g., for a prolonged period, after land for resettlement was available)
- Resettlement not on their native land
- Injured people evacuated by Red Cross ships and later from Camps who were denied proper care, or forced to
sign statements with wrong information
- Victims or first hand witnesses to forced abortions in government controlled area hospitals
- Repeated summoning and inquiries of rehabilitated and released former combatants and suspected rebel
sympathizers and incidents of physical and sexual abuse

H. Enforced Disappearances

I. Indefinite Detention