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Sri Lanka (Human Rights)

I hope my hon. Friend will understand but I will not give way. I want others to be able to speak, so I must do this quickly. Britain has a proud record of leading world opinion. The grip we had in leading international opinion is, I believe, one reason why the United Nations has placed so much emphasis on accountability for war crimes. Yet despite the UN stressing that"““not to hold accountable those who committed serious crimes...is a clear violation of Sri Lanka's international obligations””" and despite the Panel for Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka calling for an independent, international investigation into war crimes, Sri Lanka instead established a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission that was clearly not independent. After all, it was comprised of people who supported the Sri Lankan Government's behaviour during the civil war and, according to the Sri Lankan Government, the LLRC's job was to"““relegate the past to history.””" Fears that that commission would reach unsatisfactory conclusions now appear to be well-founded. Indeed, the Minister himself has said:"““The British Government is, on the whole, disappointed by the report's findings and recommendations on accountability...These leave ""many gaps and unanswered questions...We note that many credible allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, including from the UN Panel of Experts report, are either not addressed or only partially answered. We believe that video footage, authenticated by UN Special Rapporteurs, should inform substantive, not just technical, investigations into apparent grave abuses.””" Most observers have come to similar conclusions. For example, Freedom from Torture has said:"““On the all important question of accountability, the Commission has completely failed to deliver.””" Internationally, the LLRC is seen as an attempt to brush war crimes under the carpet. However, although our words have sounded damning, I must say that the Tamil community are increasingly concerned that British actions are anything but damning. Freedom from Torture's chief executive, Keith Best, has said:"““The UK government has insisted that Sri Lanka demonstrate 'progress' on accountability for international crimes by the end of 2011...but there is no getting around the fact that the necessary progress has not been achieved””." How can Britain respond? Despite the lack of progress; despite the widespread evidence of torture; despite the fact that more than 300,000 Tamils are being held in camps after the war, with many of them still living in deplorable conditions described by the International Crisis Group as being"““devoid of the most basic amenities””;" despite independent reporters still not being permitted to report; and despite allegations of all sorts of ongoing human rights abuses, Britain has embarked on a policy of sending planeloads of Tamils back to Sri Lanka even though there is a genuine and understandable fear about how they might be treated there. How does that look to the rest of the international community? What it looks like is an endorsement by Britain of the appalling behaviour of the Sri Lankan Government and a snub to Tamils who fear for their safety. Understandably, Tamils look at us and say that, if Britain were serious about its criticisms of Sri Lanka, those flights would not be taking off. What is even worse is that, while everyone else has been increasingly frustrated by Sri Lanka's efforts to use the LLRC to wriggle out of its legal obligations to investigate war crimes, not once have we heard from the mouth of a British Minister these words: ““We support an independent international mechanism to conduct investigations into the alleged violations that took place in Sri Lanka.”” Those are not radical words; they simply repeat what the UN panel of experts has asked for. Britain's Tamil community is understandably impatient. The US is bringing a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council and the European Parliament has passed a motion demanding"““a UN commission of inquiry into all crimes committed””." My right hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Mr Alexander) has said that the Labour party supports an international commission to investigate the ““acts of unconscionable violence”” perpetrated in the final months of Sri Lanka's armed conflict in 2009. Britain's recent reticence and reluctance to join in that support for the UN panel of experts is extremely disappointing and has no doubt been noted by many Tamils here in the UK. I hope that the Minister will be able to rectify that situation today. Britain is respected around the world for taking brave and principled leads, as we did in supporting military action in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Libya; in imposing sanctions against Robert Mugabe and Bashar al-Assad; and in helping establish the International War Crimes Tribunal. Surely we can join the moderate voices supporting the calls by the UN panel of experts for an ““independent international investigation””. I hope that the Minister will remember how he felt, and how we all felt, when we saw the Channel 4 documentary on Sri Lanka: numb; angry; and driven to right the horrific wrongs that were shown. Crimes such as those must be investigated and justice must be served. Kofi Annan has said that"““the international community cannot be selective in its approach to upholding the rule of law and respect for human rights.””" On behalf of my constituents, I implore the Minister to consider the message that Britain is sending the world by forcing Tamils on to planes to go back to a country where torture continues, and by failing to support loudly the UN panel of experts. I hope that today we can reassure British Tamils that Britain is serious about doing the right thing, and that we will take a lead on human rights in the international community.