SA Rights' Groups Question Sri Lanka Visit

COLOMBO (News1st) - A coalition of leading South African human rights groups have questioned their government's invitation to Sri Lankan individuals with links to alleged war criminals for a study tour on reconciliation & transitional justice.

This was according to a report by The International Truth and Justice Project - Sri Lanka.  

According to the letter drafted by the South African Human Rights' groups, the Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Sabry and the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakse had arrived on a working visit to South Africa at the invitation of South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor. 

The letter emphasised that the purpose of the visit according to the press statement was to learn from the South African experience in regard to the establishment of, and work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to promote reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

The Human Rights' groups allege that the invitation to the Sri Lankan officials by the government of South Africa is concerning in view of allegations of on-going human rights violations, the suppression of civil society in Sri Lanka and a failure by the Sri Lankan government to ensure criminal accountability for gross human rights violations perpetrated during the 1983 - 2009 civil war. 

Image Courtesy - The International Truth and Justice Project - Sri Lanka. (Twitter)