The Sri Lankan government must consult with the victims and their families to ensure support for mechanisms to establish accountability, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussain, said at the opening of the 29th UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva this morning.
The high commissioner said his office will remain “very engaged” with Sri Lanka on the need for a transparent and inclusive process to establish credible mechanism for accountability, ahead of the OISL report to be published in September.
“The new Government in Sri Lanka has passed a constitutional amendment which, if implemented appropriately, brings renewed hope for democracy and the rule of law,” he said in his opening statement to the session.
“OHCHR will remain very engaged in discussions with the Sri Lankan authorities on the need for transparent and inclusive processes to develop credible mechanisms for accountability and reconciliation, ahead of my report to the September session. I encourage the Government to consult broadly with all political parties, civil society, and above all victims and their families, to ensure full national support and ownership of these processes.”
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