IIGEP Assistants
Douglas Wickramaratne UK
When I was in Geneva attending the 5th Sessions of the Human Rights
Council in June 2007 I seriously began to wonder about the role played
by the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP). As
usual they had rushed a report critical of GOSL to coincide with the
HRC Sessions.
At a meeting organised by ICJ , the IIGEP representative MR Dewey could
not offer any explanation to a number of questions raised . One such
question was whether it was true that an IIGEP member and one of its
Assistants paid an unsoilcited visit to the Kantale Magistrate hearing
the case of the 17 aid workers that were killed. As to the role of the
Attorney General, I raised the question whether they were aware that
in UK,where I live, the AG is appointed by the Prime Minister and he
attends cabinet meetings. Whereas in Sri Lanka the AG is not a political
appointment.
Following day (14th June) I witnessed a very interersting event. I
was at the restaurant , which is the main meeting point for all delegates,
when I observed an IIGEP Assistant David Savage in deep conversation
with LTTE representative from France and an ex priest Emanuel. The assistant
was taking down copious notes for nearly half hour.As he was leaving
the restaurant I approached him and asked him whether I could speak
with him for a few minutes. He said that he was in a hurry and could
spare me just three minutes.
When I replied that it would be difficult for me to counter in three
miutes , the LTTE version that had been given to him he blew his top.
He denied taking down any notes and said that I should not have been
watching him. He said in a somewhat threatening manner he was a police
officer from Australia and that I should not repeat to anyone that he
took down notes. I asked him whether he was ordering me to deny a scene
which I witnessed. Then the man who denied writing a single word said
that the only writing he did was to give his address to them. He wrote
down his name and email address:dsavage@iigep.org and Jai Hilton number
94 77 387 6005 (note is in my possession). Again he stressed the fact
that he gave a similar note only and no notes wre taken. He was obviously
agitated.
The next day I spoke with the LTTE man and casually asked him about
the notes that Mr Savage took down. He was very upset that I had noticed
it and said " oh I had studied with David in Australia and gave
him a few names of our ex- classmates."
Was the Assistant going beyond his impartial status?
I hope lessons will be learnt from this sorry episode of inviting foreigners
to meddle in the country's affairs.
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