Stories of the Wind

“We must never sacrifice principles for expediency, much less to sacrifice them on behalf of otherwise voiceless victims. The call to speak for the voiceless is a rare privilege – and one that must be heeded with humility and diligence. The decision to forgive is one that only victims may make, and even then, not through a cynical bargain foisted on them by those interested in escaping justice for their crimes. If indeed victims choose a  form of reconciliation without justice, we will then face an unprecedented dilemma of principle. But unless and until they do so consciously and voluntarily, we must never deign to make a Faustian bargain on their behalf. Instead, we must advance the values of justice, human rights and full accountability for serious crimes. Indeed, we must do so relentlessly.”                                                                                                                                                                            

Find the full essay here: http://www.csls.ox.ac.uk/documents/Sri_Lanka_and_Urgent_Need_for_Accountability-final.pdf