Whilst the human rights situation in Sri Lanka has improved, “much remains to be done” said the United Kingdom in a country update report, highlighting the challenges faced in the Tamil North-East.
In its report the UK highlighted that “much remains to be done for Sri Lanka to fulfil the commitments made in Resolution 30/1 at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in October 2015”.
“Challenges still remain, particularly in the north and the east,” continued the report.
Acknowledging Sri Lankan government announcements on the release of land occupied by the military, it went on to state “the UK has consistently called for land releases and demilitarisation of the north to be accelerated”.
“As highlighted by the HCHR and the Special Rapporteur on torture, NGOs and media continued to report incidents of surveillance, intimidation and harassment by the security forces, although fewer than under the previous government,” it said.
The report also highlighted the rise of “nationalist campaigns (such as “Sinhale”) over recent months” and “reports of over 25 new arrests under the PTA in the first six months of this year”.
“The UK will continue to encourage and support the government of Sri Lanka in fulfilling its commitments to improve human rights and democracy, and to address the legacies of the past,” it concluded.
See the full text of the report here.