Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 20 September 2011:

(1) What steps has the Australian Government taken, or is it taking, to investigate whether Sri Lankan officials seeking to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2011 have not been implicated in war crimes.

(2) Have any of the members of that e delegation travelling with President Mahinda Rajapakse sought certificates from the Australian Government confirming immunity from any possible legal proceedings in Australia.

Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the answer to the Honourable Senator's questions is as follows:

(1) Ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Australian section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJA) sent the Australian Federal Police (AFP) a report that contained allegations that President Rajapaksa and Admiral Samarasinghe (both members of Sri Lanka's Delegation to CHOGM) were involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the final stages of Sri Lanka's civil war. The AFP stated publicly in October 2011 that it was evaluating the ICJA report. The status of the evaluation is a matter for the AFP.

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) screening procedures are a matter for the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

(2) No.