Four rights organizations call UNHRC to adopt strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); Four rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Forum Asia and the International Commission of Jurists have called for permanent representatives of member and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka. 

Accordingly, the four organizations have called for support for a strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka, which renews the OHCHR Accountability Project and addresses ongoing violations and abuses, including the suppression of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Pointing out that Sri Lanka is currently suffering an economic, political and human rights crisis, the rights organizations state that during the recent months, countless people have taken to the streets to call for reform, accountability for corruption, and for urgent Government action to protect their rights.

Citing previous recommendations made by the former UNHRC High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the four rights organizations further call to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of the Accountability Project and requesting the UN to provide the resources required to provide greater investigative capacity and witness protection, greater technical capacity to analyze evidence and to undertake outreach and engagement with civil society and victims.

The rights organizations further state that the resolution should also call upon Sri Lanka to;

- Restore cooperation with the efforts at the Human Rights Council to advance accountability for serious crimes under international law;
- Strengthen and ensure the independence of the Office of Missing Persons and the 
Office of Reparations, which were established under Resolution 30/1 but currently lack credibility due to political interference;
- Ensure that any truth-seeking mechanism established – which should not replace judicial proceedings before ordinary civilian courts – is in line with the recommendations of the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation mechanism, including that the mechanism has a clear link to accountability, and does not provide amnesties or any other similar measure for crimes under international law or other serious human rights violations;
- Strengthen the independence of the national witness and victim protection authority to carry out its mandate effectively;
- Renew the commitment made to the Council under Resolution 30/1 to establish an international or hybrid court to appropriately try cases of crimes under international law in Sri Lanka