Even after nine months have passed since the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on accountability and reconciliation concerning Sri Lanka, a Colombo-based think tank has found that the implementation of a majority of commitments made by the Sri Lanka government had been “poor.”
In its study, Verité Research, the think-tank, said that there were 36 commitments in five broad areas -- transitional justice and reconciliation, rights and rule of law, security and demilitarisation, power sharing and international engagement. Of them, only four commitments had been “fully implemented.”
Analysis: progress poor
The progress in carrying out a majority of the commitments -- 22 -- had been “poor,” the study said.
Reviewing and repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act; addressing reports of sexual and gender-based violence and torture; restoring normality to civilian life in the Northern and Eastern provinces and full participation of civil society and minorities in demilitarisation efforts are some of those commitments with “poor progress.”
Of nine commitments in the area of transitional justice and reconciliation, only three have been partially implemented. A bill on the Office on Missing Persons has been tabled in Parliament.
Bills not taken up
Among those that have been not been taken up relate to the establishment of institutions for reparations and truth, justice, reconciliation and non-recurrence, besides a judicial mechanism or a war crimes court.
The four “fully-implemented” commitments include “continued engagement” between the government and the Office of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights; the signing and ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances and the publication of reports of the Udalagama Commission, which went into 16 cases of alleged violations of human rights that took place during August 2005-November 2006, and the Paranagama Commission on missing persons.
Sirisena’s reiteration
Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena has reiterated his position against participation of foreign judges in the proposed war crimes court whereas the United Kingdom has emphasised the need for the inclusion of “international element” in the judicial mechanism.
Addressing an event on Friday in Panadura, about 30 km south of Colombo, Mr. Sirisena said he would not allow any foreign court, judge or organisation to interfere with the internal administration and judiciary in the country. Only a few days ago, responding to a question on Mr. Sirisena’s position, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the President had expressed his opinion and there were several alternatives available.
Participating in a debate in the House of Commons on Thursday on the issue of human rights in Sri Lanka, U.K. Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Hugo Swire said there had to be an “international element” in the proposed mechanism to “reassure” communities in Sri Lanka and to show the international community that the process was credible. His government had been pressing this point with Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr. Samaraweera and through the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the British Minister told the Parliament.
