Don't hold your breath Bruce. As you observed, Abbott is slow to learn, particularly on matters of foreign policy, even though his right hand woman Julie Bishop has a better grasp on reality. Australia's treatment of Tamils has been deplorable. One wonders how many of the remaining children in detention are there because their Tamil fathers are deemed a security risk.
David

Well an internal inquiry might work, if it was conducted like the South African truth and reconciliation postmortem.

There are just no entirely innocent parties here, but numerous war crimes, and on both sides.

What that nation needs now is a healing process and time to undertake it!

The side that won the war, now must somehow cope with the far more difficult and onerous task of winning the peace, and never possible, if you endlessly trot out and relive past battles. Even the wisdom of Solomon would be tried and found wanting!

There were atrocities committed by both sides; and enough by all accounts, to put a whole nation on trial?

Time to set aside past difference and old battles.

There was an official winner and a loser, albeit, there are no real winners in any war; particularly an enduring civil war, just losers!

Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation with a new broom, and given the new broom honors his pre-election promises, a new page in that tiny nations history?

Time to move on and write it!

A bill of irrevocable civil rights, would possibly be a useful and welcome start; and show an implacable intention to win the peace!?
Rhrosty

It's a disturbing article.
I don't want Australia to do anything to help oppress the Tamils. They have suffered far too much already.

I grit my teeth anticipating what people around Asia will have to say about our government and its simplistic policies.

Tony Abbott seems to be still Tony the Opposition Leader: Kaptain Kombat.
"Stop the boats, kill the carbon tax, cut out the mining tax. No more instability and leadership uncertainty like there was under Labor".

Some more sophistication and nuanced diplomacy would be a nice change.