The measures taken by Sri Lanka since October 2015 have been inadequate to ensure real progress a report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released on Friday in Geneva concluded, reiterating the need for a hybrid court with international judges and lawyers. Assessing the progress made by Sri Lanka in implementing resolution 30/1 which it co-sponsored at the Human Rights Council the report urged "stronger, tangible results need to be forthcoming without further delay to prevent any further dissipation of hardearned trust." Welcoming the Sri Lankan...
The deputy minister of foreign affairs Harsha De Silva this week sought to allay ongoing rumours that Sri Lanka had agreed to a number of reforms in order to regain GSP+ by reiterating that the country was "under no obligation to any foreign body". “Sri Lanka will do what we have undertaken to do and we re doing what we are doing for ourselves,” Mr De Silva was quoted by Economy Next as saying. “We’re under no obligation to any foreign body. We are only under obligation to the people of this country and what we are doing is for the people of this country." “Be under no illusion we’re forced...
The Labour party's shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry on Thursday called on the UK government to take a “strong stance at the UNHRC” and “to take further steps to hold Sri Lanka to account by pushing for a follow-up to Resolution 30/1” at the UN Human Rights Council this month. In a letter to the current foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, Ms Thornberry criticised the government of Sri Lanka on its failure to “to establish a mechanism for investigating, prosecuting, and punishing allegations of war crimes”, as well on its failure to “uphold some of the most basic standards of human...
The Tamil National Alliance this week highlighted the Sri Lanka's lack of progess on key commitments made to the UN Human Rights Council and called on the government to ensure its promises were kept. Speaking in journalists in Colombo Wednesday, the TNA spokesperson, MA Sumanthiran said his party was willing to give the government more time however only if this included a timetable and a process of monitoring to ensure adherence. Pointing to the commitments made in the 2015 UNHRC resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka, Mr Sumanthiran was quoted by AP as saying, “Sri Lanka has not accomplished...
The Sri Lankan Navy saw the passing out of its first ever batch of Marine Corps this week, following training from the United States military, at a navy base on land taken from Tamils. At a military ceremony held at the navy’s North Western Command Headquarters in Mannar, Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena oversaw the passing out of 164 Marines, including 6 officers and 158 sailors. The Sri Lankan navy base at Mullikulam was set up in September 2007, after Tamil villagers were evicted from their land by the military. They have not yet been allowed to return and instead the base was the...
The Un Human Rights Council catalysed progress in Sri Lanka the US said on Wednesday. Speaking at the council’s 34th regular session in Geneva, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, Erin Barclay said: “When the council functions properly, it has the ability to remind states of their commitments and obligations. It can hold countries accountable for the same.” “When the council works as it should its successes are victories for human rights.” “For example, HRC action catalysed progress for reform and provided technical assistance to improve accountability for past...
Sri Lanka's President Sirisena "made a commitment to the UN on behalf of his country and he must now deliver it", no matter the domestic political situation, British MP, James Berry said during a parliamentary debate. Mr Berry, the Conservative MP for Kingston and Surbiton, and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils, opened a debate on human rights in Sri Lanka and the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, today in Westminster Hall. "I have not just my own concerns as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group but concerns that my Tamil constituents have raised with...
Sri Lanka's 69-year-long experiment in nation-building is a failed one, the country's foreign affairs minister, Mangala Samaraweera, told the UN Human Rights Council today. "69 long years, we journeyed through pain, violence, loss of life and precious human resources, ruining chances of socio economic progress. This was clearly an experiment in nation building that failed, which is certainly not worth pursuing any further. Therefore we must have the courage to acknowledge that truth, and that era must now end. The Sri Lanka that we seek to build here onwards, should be one where justice...
The report on Sri Lanka by UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye called for the release of the remaining 6,124 acres of land currently under military occupation in the North as "matter of priority". “As a matter of priority, the Government must continue and step up the release to the civilian populations of the remaining 6,124 acres of the land currently held by the military in the North as well as other lands and coastal areas occupied by the military. A proper mapping exercise of all the lands currently occupied by the military must take place, and lands currently not...
The Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) denied the current head of department, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, stated that the sexual exploitation of Tamil women by the army would jeopardise the reconciliation process. Military Spokesperson Brig. Roshan Seneviratne claimed that the “head of an ethnic reconciliation body” said sexual exploitation and abuse of Tamil women by the army in the post-war context would jeopardise the reconciliation process. “ONUR would like to categorically deny that the former president Kumaratunga did not make a statement as...