Human Rights Chief talks political prisoners, disappearances and release of land on North-East visit

 
The UN Human Rights chief discussed the “challenges” faced by the Tamil people, in talks with the Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C. V. Wigneswaran on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said he held a "constructive" meeting with the chief minister, adding,

“Discussions very much focussed on the challenges the province faces but also the plans and the achievements in connection with this region and the people who aspire to see more information in terms of those detained and those missing as well as the issue of the release of land”.

“These discussions will continue of course in the course of today tomorrow and in Colombo with the highest officials of the state,” he added.

Justice Wigneswaran also handed the High Commissioner a list of 4,000 people who have been listed as missing since the end of the armed conflict, alongside dates and places they were last seen.


Before entering the meeting, the UN human rights chief stopped to talk to protestors outside the office, who were calling on the UN to help find their missing relatives.

The High Commissioner also met with Sri Lanka’s Governor of Northern Province. H. M. G. S. Palihakkara, who thanked the High Commissioner for his visit and said the Sri Lankan government would continue to work with the international system.


Photograph: @UNSriLanka
See also:
 UN High Commissioner meets protesting relatives of the disappeared in Jaffna (07 Feb 2016)

Human Rights Chief visits IDP camp in Jaffna  (07 Feb 2016)

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