Greater support for the International Criminal Court in the Asian region is crucial for the growing global fight against impunity and for the defense of fundamental human rights.

The Coalition for the International Criminal Court and its members are calling on Sri Lanka to take a major step forward in its commitment to international justice and the rule of law by ratifying to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as soon as possible.

Asia remains poorly represented at the Court, and greater Asian participation is needed to ensure that the ICC is enriched by the diverse legal cultures of the region. Currently, Cambodia, East Timor, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Tajikistan are the only Asian States Parties to the ICC. While Thailand, the Philippines and Bangladesh have already signed the Rome Statute, they have yet to ratify. Sri Lanka’s accession to the Rome Statute would further strengthen the Sri Lankan peace process as it would be a clear demonstration of Sri Lanka’s commitment to upholding the highest international human rights.

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A few months before his murder on 31 May 2004, Aiyathurai Nadesan, a correspondent in Batticaloa (the eastern part of the island) for several Tamil media, who received the prize for “Best Tamil Journalist” in 2000, had told Reporters without Borders: «We are always caught in the crossfire. It is very hard for us to check our information with both the security forces and the Tamil Tigers. And when a local news article is released from Colombo, we may face reprisals in the field.» His statements attest to how difficult working conditions are for journalists in Sri Lanka.

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