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 THE GENEVA RESOLUTION ANDPOLITICS: A NOTE OF CAUTION

• by Niran Anketell  on 1!1!"1#

•

 T$e re%ent H&'an Ri($t) Co&n%il re)ol&tion on Sri Lanka i) a re'arkable

*o%&'ent+ Cra,te* in t$e i''e*iate a,ter'at$ o, t$e *e-a)tatin( OISL

Re.ort on Sri Lanka /$o)e %entral re%o''en*ation /a) t$at a 0).e%ial

$ybri* %o&rt be e)tabli)$e* in Sri Lanka2 an* *e).ite )o'e $i%%&.) *&rin(

ne(otiation)2 a re)ol&tion e-ent&ally a%%e.table to a /i*e ran(e o, .artie)

,o&n* &n%onte)te* .a))a(e t$ro&($ t$e Co&n%il+ T$e (o-ern'ent)

e-ent&al %o3).on)or)$i. o, t$e re)ol&tion )i(nale* t$eir ,&ll a%%e.tan%e o,

it) lan(&a(e+ In e4%$an(e ,or it) )&..ort2 t$e Sri Lankan (o-ern'ent /a)re/ar*e* /it$ te4t t$at %on(rat&late* it2 an* a..ro-in(ly re%o(ni5e* 'any

o, it) -ol&ntary %o''it'ent)+ 6oreo-er2 t$e re)ol&tion o7ere* t$e

(o-ern'ent t$e inter.reti-e ).a%e to %lai' to it) *o'e)ti% a&*ien%e t$at it

$a* o-er%o'e a %$allen(in( trial in Gene-a+ On t$e Ta'il )i*e o, t$e

e8&ation2 t$e 'o*erate) o, t$e Ta'il National Allian%e /$o ro&n*ly

7/17/2019 The Geneva Resolution and Politics a Note of Caution

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*e,eate* t$eir e4tre'i)t o..onent) in re%ent ele%tion) al)o /el%o'e* t$e

re)ol&tion on a%%o&nt o, t$e )tren(t$ o, it) %ontent+

A 'ea)&re o, Sin$ala3Ta'il %on)en)&) on a%%o&ntability 9 a .re%on*ition ,or

(en&ine re%on%iliation in Sri Lanka 9 a..eare* .o))ible ,or t$e r)t ti'e

)in%e ";+ T$e re)ol&tion re,eren%e* 'any o, t$e key *e'an*) o, $&'an

ri($t) *e,en*er) an* Ta'il .oliti%al lea*er) ,ro' Sri Lanka+ T$e o.erati-e

.ara(ra.$) o, t$e re)ol&tion e%$oe* UN Hi($ Co''i))ioner <ei*) %all ,or a

).e%ial $ybri* %o&rt by a=r'in( t$e i'.ortan%e o, 0Co''on/ealt$ an*

ot$er ,orei(n >&*(e)2 la/yer)2 .ro)e%&tor) an* in-e)ti(ator) .arti%i.atin(

in a Sri Lankan >&*i%ial 'e%$ani)'? in*i%ate* t$e nee* ,or t$e in%or.oration

o, international %ri'e) into Sri Lankan la/ /it$ retroa%ti-e e7e%t till at lea)t

""? $i($li($te* t$e i'.ortan%e o, )e%&rity )e%tor re,or' in%l&*in( -ettin(

an* l&)tration? an* re%o(ni5e* a n&'ber o, )/ee.in( %o''it'ent) by t$e

(o-ern'ent in%l&*in( .ro'i)e) to e7e%t a .oliti%al )ettle'ent t$ro&($

%on)tit&tional 'ea)&re)2 e)tabli)$ a Tr&t$ Co''i))ion an* a *i)%rete

'e%$ani)' to tra%e t$e *i)a..eare*2 e)tabli)$ an o=%e ,or re.aration)2

re.eal t$e *ra%onian Pre-ention o, Terrori)' A%t2 )tren(t$en /itne))

.rote%tion la/) an* .oli%ie)2 an* allo/ Tran)itional @&)ti%e 'e%$ani)') t$e

,ree*o' to %all on international a))i)tan%e+

In )$ort2 t$e re)ol&tion )et o&t an a'bitio&) Tran)itional @&)ti%e a(en*a ,or

Sri Lanka: one t$at2 i, i'.le'ente* .ro.erly2 /o&l* %ertainly 'ark Sri Lanka

o&t a) a rare A)ian )&%%e)) ,or Tran)itional @&)ti%e+ T$at )&%$ a re)ol&tion

%o&l* in*ee* be a(ree* on 9 bet/een t$e international %o''&nity an* SriLanka on t$e one $an*2 an* bet/een .oliti%ally -i%torio&) Sin$ala an* Ta'il

lea*er) on t$e ot$er 9 i) a tre'en*o&) )i(n o, i'.ro-e'ent+ An* yet2 Sri

Lanka) %o'.le4 .oliti%) a..ear) to alrea*y be .&ttin( at ri)k t$e

en%o&ra(in( (ain) ,ro' earlier t$i) 'ont$+

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 @&*e Fernan*o) .er%e.ti-e re%ent arti%le title* Domesticated Hybrid

Court: Will Buddha Prevail Over Hegel & Marx?”  .er,e%tly %a.t&re) t$e

(o-ern'ent) ,ailin() /it$ re).e%t to t$i) re)ol&tion+ Ha-in( a(ree* in

Gene-a to e)tabli)$ /$at international la/yer) /o&l* &n$e)itatin(ly ter' a

bl&e.rint ,or )o'e ,or' o, $ybri* %o&rt2 t$e (o-ern'ent) .o)t&rin( at

$o'e $a) been in%on)i)tent an* /oe,&lly )$ort)i($te*+ It) %ontin&o&)

a))ertion) t$at t$e international %o'.onent in t$e re)ol&tion only in-ol-e)

te%$ni%al a*-i%e an* a))i)tan%e an* not .arti%i.ation in trial) By in t$e ,a%e

o, t$e %lear te4t o, t$e re)ol&tion+ T$e (o-ern'ent i) entitle* to %all t$e

.ro.o)e* %o&rt /$ate-er it /ant) an* 'ay %$oo)e not to ter' t$e %o&rt

0$ybri* 9 e-en t$e a(ree'ent to e)tabli)$ a UN a*'ini)tere* $ybri* %o&rt

in Ca'bo*ia *e)%ribe* t$e en-i)a(e* %o&rt a) one t$at /o&l* be 0/it$in t$e

e4i)tin( %o&rt )tr&%t&re o, Ca'bo*ia 9 b&t it '&)t not )eek to 'i)lea* it)

o/n %on)tit&en%y on t$e nat&re o, t$e international .arti%i.ation in trial) to

/$i%$ it $a) a))ente*+ T$ere are .ro'i)in( )i(n) o, t$e (o-ern'ent )eekin(

broa* %i-il )o%iety )&..ort to %reate ).a%e in t$e broa*er Sin$ala ).eakin(

.&bli% /it$in /$i%$ t$e re)ol&tion %o&l* be%o'e a%%e.table2 b&t e-en t$e)e

e7ort) are .la(&e* by a ,&*(in( o, t$e international .arti%i.ation 8&e)tion+

In)tea* o, .atiently *oin( t$e /ork o, e4.lainin( t$e i'.ortan%e o, a

)&b)tantial international %o'.onent in trial) relatin( to )erio&) %ri'e)2 t$e

(o-ern'ent $a) %$o)en in)tea* to .lay /or* (a'e)2 .ro&*ly %lai'in( t$at

it $a) a-erte* t$e *rea*e* $ybri* %o&rt+ T$e %&rrent tra>e%tory i) a

*an(ero&) one+ I, t$e (o-ern'ent i) e-ent&ally ,or%e* to *eli-er on it)

&ne8&i-o%al .ro'i)e)2 it ri)k) alle(ation) o, betrayal ,ro' /it$in it)

%on)tit&en%y+ I, $o/e-er it rene(e) on it) %o''it'ent)2 it ri)k)international %en)&re ,ro' /it$o&t an* /ill inBa'e Ta'il o.inion ,ro'

/it$in+ T$e %yni%al .oint o, -ie/ 9 )$are* by a )&r.ri)in(ly lar(e n&'ber o,

rea)onable .eo.le 9 i) t$at t$e (o-ern'ent la%k) t$e ba)i% .oliti%al /ill to

%arry o&t it) %o''it'ent2 an* i) *eliberately e)tabli)$in( t$e %onto&r) o,

a%%e.table international in-ol-e'ent2 /$i%$ /o&l* t$en e)tabli)$ ait

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accom!li o, )ort)+ In ot$er /or*)2 *o'e)ti% o.inion i) bein( )$a.e*2 an*

on%e )$a.e*2 /ill be &)e* to )eek lea-e ,ro' it) o/n %o''it'ent)+ T$e)e

,ear) /ill only (ro/ /it$ ti'e+ I, t$e (o-ern'ent i) to .re-ent t$e'2 it '&)t

%$an(e t$e ter') o, intera%tion) /it$ it) o/n .eo.le+ Si'.ly .&t2 it %annot

)ay one t$in( in Colo'bo an* anot$er in Gene-a2 or one t$in( in Colo'bo

to Gene-a an* anot$er in Colo'bo to Colo'bo+

On t$e Ta'il )i*e o, t$e e8&ation2 t$ere are )erio&) .oliti%al %$allen(e) a)

/ell+ In)tea* o, re%o(ni5in( t$e .oten%y o, t$e %o''&nity) )tr&((le ,or

 >&)ti%e *e'on)trate* by it) Gene-a )&%%e)) 9 a )tr&((le t$at $a) 'a*e

&n.re%e*ente* )tri*e) &n*er t$e 'o)t %$allen(in( o, %ir%&')tan%e) in a

relati-ely )$ort .erio* o, ti'e 9 t$ere i) a ten*en%y to a))&'e *e,eat i, only

be%a&)e t$e (o-ern'ent %lai') -i%tory+ In t$i) -ie/2 t$e Sri Lankan )tate

an* t$e Ta'il .eo.le are lo%ke* in a 5ero )&' (a'e2 an* /$ere t$e

(o-ern'ent /in)2 t$e Ta'il) lo)e+ T$e Ta'il .re)) /$i%$ *ili(ently /at%$e)

t$e be$a-io&r o, Sin$ala .oliti%ian) $a) lar(ely %on%l&*e* t$at be%a&)e t$e

(o-ern'ent %$ara%teri5e) t$e re)ol&tion a) one in )&..ort o, a 0*o'e)ti%

'e%$ani)'2 a .&rely *o'e)ti% 'e%$ani)' i) /$at $a) been a(ree* in

Gene-a+ 6ean/$ile a ,e/ ,orei(n %a'.ai(ner) /$o /orke* tirele))ly b&t in

t$e international ).otli($t *&rin( t$e *ay) o, t$e Ra>a.ak)a re(i'e to kee.

t$e a%%o&ntability a(en*a ali-e2 .er$a.) %on)%io&) o, t$eir *e%linin(

rele-an%e2 are keen to a*-an%e t$e ).&rio&) %lai' t$at /$ile t$e OISL

Re.ort %alle* ,or a $ybri* %o&rt2 t$e re)ol&tion *i* not2 an* t$at t$e nal

te4t i) )o'e kin* o, )ell3o&t+ Har*line Ta'il .oliti%al .artie) an* t$eir

)&..orter) al)o ,ollo/ )&it+

6&%$ o, t$i) %on,&)ion /it$in t$e Ta'il *i)%o&r)e on t$e re)ol&tion )te')

,ro' a ,&n*a'ental 'i)%on%e.tion o-er /$at a $ybri* %o&rt 'ean)+ A)

)%$olar) $a-e .re-io&)ly .ointe* o&t2 an* a) 'y %ollea(&e R$a*eena *e

Al/i) an* I e4.lain in o&r .a.er on a $ybri* %o&rt ,or Sri Lanka2 t$ere i) no

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'o*el -er)ion o, an i*eal $ybri* %o&rt+ In)tea*2 t$ey %o'e in *i7erent

)$a.e) an* )i5e)2 an* ea%$ 'o*el '&)t be *e)i(ne* to t t$e le(al an*

.oliti%al %onte4t in /$i%$ it i) e)tabli)$e*+ In al'o)t all ,&n%tionin( %o&ntrie)

in /$i%$ )&%$ %o&rt) e4i)t2 t$ey are e)tabli)$e* /it$in t$e %on)tit&tional

)tr&%t&re o, t$e %o&ntry %on%erne*2 o,ten t$ro&($ *o'e)ti% le(i)lation+

$ile t$ere i) no *enition o, /$at a $ybri* %o&rt i)2 t$e 0$ybri*ity at .lay

i) &)&ally ,o&n* in t$e %o'.o)ition o, t$e .er)onnel an* la/yer) in-ol-e* in

t$e trial)2 an* t$e )&b)tanti-e la/ a..lie* in t$e %o&rt+

 T$e .ointle)) *ebate o-er /$et$er t$e %o&rt en-i)a(e* by t$e re)ol&tion i)

a $ybri* %o&rt or a *o'e)ti% %o&rt /it$ international .arti%i.ation i) not

'erely 'i).la%e* a) a 'atter o, international le(al .ra%ti%e an* lin(&i)ti%

%o''on )en)e2 b&t *i-ert) attention ,ro' a )erie) o, 'ore ,&n*a'ental

8&e)tion)+ T$e)e 8&e)tion) relate to $o/ )&%$ a %o&rt /o&l* en)&re

in*e.en*en%e o, >&*(e)2 .ro)e%&tor) an* la/yer) 9 /$et$er lo%al or

,orei(n Ho/ /o&l* t$e %a.a%itie) ne%e))ary ,or t$e trial o, )y)te' %ri'e)

be )o&r%e* $at /o&l* be t$e role o, t$e UN Hi($ Co''i))ioner ,or

H&'an Ri($t) in )&..ortin( t$i) %o&rt $o /o&l* be re).on)ible ,or

a..oint'ent) to t$e o=%e o, t$e .ro)e%&tor On /$at ba)i) /o&l* t$e

.ro%e*&ral la/ relatin( to t$e %o&rt be a*o.te*2 an* /$at /o&l* be it)

%ontent $at )tan*in( /o&l* -i%ti') $a-e in t$e trial)2 an* $o/ /o&l*

t$ey be .rote%te* o&l* -i%ti') be entitle* to %o&rt or*ere* re.aration)

 T$ere are a (a'&t o, )i'ilar 8&e)tion) t$at re8&ire ri(oro&) /ork2

a..li%ation an* ne(otiation+ In t$e nal analy)i)2 it i) t$e /ay in /$i%$

t$e)e 8&e)tion) an* )i'ilar 8&e)tion) are an)/ere* 9 an* not t$eno'en%lat&re a*o.te* to *e)%ribe t$e %o&rt 9 t$at /o&l* *eter'ine t$e

)&%%e)) an* ,ail&re o, a ).e%ial >&*i%ial 'e%$ani)'+ T$e)e are t$e 8&e)tion)

to /$i%$ -i%ti') an* t$eir re.re)entati-e) )$o&l* ,o%&) t$eir attention2 ,or

t$i) i) /$ere t$e battle ,or >&)ti%e really lie)+ T$e ta)k o, inB&en%in( .oli%y

in Sri Lanka i) *i=%&lt2 b&t it i) no lon(er i'.o))ible+ International .re))&re

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i) in*&bitably e))ential i, not t$e 'o)t i'.ortant tool to/ar*) t$at en*2 b&t

it i) not t$e only one+ A )trate(y o, /aitin( an* /at%$in( till t$e

(o-ern'ent &n,ol*) it) 'e%$ani)') i) *oo'e* to ,ail+ In)tea*2 %i-il )o%iety

an* -i%ti') re.re)entati-e) '&)t ,or%e o.en t$e *ebate2 /in t$e battle o,

i*ea)2 'obili5e .re))&re an* inB&en%e *e%i)ion 'aker)+

On t$e Ta'il ,ront2 /$ile re'e*yin( intentionally 'an&,a%t&re*

'i)%on%e.tion) i) *i=%&lt2 it i) t$e re).on)ibility o, 'o*erate .oliti%ian)

an* re).on)ible Ta'il %i-il )o%iety a%tor) to e4.lain .ro.erly t$e /orkin() o, 

t$e Gene-a .ro%e)) an* t$e %ontent an* .ro'i)e o, t$e re)ol&tion to t$eir

%o''&nitie)+ T$e Ta'il National Allian%e $a) a re).on)ibility to 'obili5e it)

'a''ot$ (ro&n* (a'e 9 a key %ontrib&tor to it) ele%toral ,ort&ne) 9 to

no/ %reate a/arene)) /it$in t$e %o''&nitie) it) re.re)ent)+ Fail&re to *o

)o /o&l* be too %o)tly: *i)ill&)ion'ent e-ent&ally lea*) to a.at$y an*

*i)en(a(e'ent ,or )o'e2 an* 'ay en%o&ra(e ot$er) to ra*i%ali5e+ I, a

'oti-ate*2 'obili5e* an* )o.$i)ti%ate* )tr&((le ,or >&)ti%e i) to e'er(e

,ro' /it$in -i%ti' %o''&nitie)2 .re-entin( bitterne))2 %yni%i)' an*

*e,eati)' i) key+

Ri($t t$inkin( Sri Lankan) no/ $a-e a $i)tori% o..ort&nity to .&r)&e

re*re)) ,or -i%ti') an* roll ba%k *e%a*e) o, i'.&nity an* e)tabli)$ t$e r&le

o, la/+ To *o t$i) $o/e-er2 t$e .oliti%al ba%k(ro&n* '&)t .ro-i*e a

%on*&%i-e .lat,or' ,or i'.le'entation+ T$at .lat,or' $a) yet to be %reate*

/it$in bot$ t$e Sin$ala an* Ta'il %o''&nitie)+ Unle)) /e 4 t$i) .roble'2

/e ri)k ,ail&re2 an* /e )i'.ly %annot a7or* ,ail&re+

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