HAF Hosts Nobel Prize Nominee Callum Macrae at National Press Club in DC
Washington, D.C. (September 15, 2015) — The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) hosted Nobel Peace Prize nominee and award-winning filmmaker Callum Macrae at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. today, as he officially released his new 30 minute video documentary on the current search for justice for the Sri Lankan people following war crimes committed by all sides during the Sri Lankan civil war.
The film’s release comes as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meets in Geneva to deliberate on whether or not to pursue an international investigation into the conflict or allow the Sri Lankan government to move forward on plans to hold a domestic inquiry. The Obama administration recently announced a significant shift in U.S. policy on the issue and indicated its intention to support the Sri Lankan government. For years the U.S. supported an international investigation, but recently changed its position.
“The reason it [the United Nations Human Rights Council] set up an investigation was because it concluded fundamentally [that] the Sri Lankan government demonstrated that it was neither willing nor capable of setting up an inquiry itself,” said Macrae. “For the Tamil victims, there is only one logical next step and that is that having set up an international investigation, the Human Rights Council should now move…to setting up some form of international judicial or accountability process because in their view this government is no more willing or capable to run its own genuine domestic judicial or accountability process.”
Congressional Briefing — Sri Lanka: Will a New Government Effectuate Accountability?
The Congressional Caucus on Ethnic and Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka is hosting a briefing to examine the recently held parliamentary elections and the United Nations Human Rights Council Meetings and report on Sri Lankan war crimes during the civil war. In addition to the guest panelists, the briefing will feature a short preview of award-winning filmmaker Callum Macrae’s newly released documentary, “Sri Lanka: The Search for Justice.” The entire documentary can be viewed here.
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Location: 340 Cannon House Building, 27 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C., 20003
RSVP: Laura Wilson with Rep. Bill Johnson (Laura.Wilson@mail.house.gov)
Guest Speakers:
- Miriam Young, Director, US Counsel on Sri Lanka
- John SIfton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch