28 March, 2024

Blog

Bouquets And Brickbats For Sri Lanka In UK’s Annual Human Rights Report

Sri Lanka has been greeted with both bouquets and brickbats in the Annual Human Rights Report issued by the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The report which was released today commending the improvement in the overall human rights situation in Sri Lanka during 2015, while also highlighting concerns specially in the North and East provinces, where harassment including torture continues.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond

“There was an improvement in the overall human rights situation in Sri Lanka in 2015, although some concerns remain. Reversing the downward trend of recent years, the government of Sri Lanka took positive steps to improve freedom of expression (including the media) and freedom of movement, reduce inter-community tensions, and restore the independence of institutions such as the Human Rights Commission. The government also signalled its willingness to address long-standing allegations of past human rights abuses and violations, co-sponsoring a resolution in the UN Human Rights Council in October committing it to reconciliation, accountability and the protection of human rights,” the report for 2015 said.

However the report highlighted that certain positive changes witnessed in other parts of the country was less prevalent in the North and East. “Some of these positive changes are less apparent in the north and east. Human rights defenders continued to report harassment and surveillance in 2015, a point raised by the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances during their visit in November,” the report said.

Sri Lanka is one of 30 ‘Human Rights Priority Countries’ (HRPCs); countries where the UK has serious human rights concerns.

The UK report also recalled that the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) report has highlighted a number of human rights concerns that still remain, including continued reports of torture, and sexual and gender-based violence. “The UK has urged the government to investigate these and other allegations of human rights violations, and will continue to push for progress in these areas,” the report said.

The UK Annual Human Rights Report noted that 2016 will be a moment of opportunity for Sri Lanka, and the international community too has an important role to play.

“We will continue to encourage and support Sri Lanka to deliver on its commitments to the Human Rights Council, and to make early progress to build wider support for its efforts to address accountability. The (UK) Prime Minister has pledged £6.6m over the next three years to continue our support for reconciliation and human rights. Our work with the government of Sri Lanka will aim to continue strengthening democracy and the rule of law, and reform the security sector, sharing UK experience and expertise,” the report added.

Meanwhile, UK’s Minister for Human Rights Baroness Anelay highlighted that progress depended on ‘effective leadership.’

In her foreword published in the report, Anelay said, “For those of us devoted to human rights work, 2015 brought hope as well as despair. In different ways, Burma, Sri Lanka and Colombia all showed that progress really does depend on effective leadership from the top. Hope is also growing that perpetrators of the worst crimes can be held accountable. The conviction of Radovan Karadzic holds a message for warmongers everywhere,” she said.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Latest comments

  • 9
    7

    It’s not overall improvement is for only majority’s !! Not for minority’s!! Not for Tamils !! Reconciliation!! Yes !! Yes !! State sponsored Building Bhudist temples among Tamils !! In north !! Majority’s settlement !! Armed forces complex!!

  • 5
    8

    MORALITY BECOMES A WEAPON TO THE WESTERNERS

    The Western Countries are the masters at occupying the high ground, and translating it into great power. In their hands morality becomes a weapon, they wield to attract attention to their cause while distracting attention to others. They make such a show of moral superiority that the others feel ashamed to disagree with them. The Western Countries have killed millions of innocent people, yet they present themselves as moral superiors. In fact, the British knew the meaning of democracy and human rights from the 12th century, but they never practised it while killing millions of innocent people to takeover others’ homelands and resources. They are free to do whatever they want, by waving their magic cards so called “democracy and human rights”. In fact, the Americans, Australians, Canadians and Kiwis do not even live in their own country. If that is the reality then how can they talk more about democracy than others?

    The Spanish took part of South America, the Dutch and Portuguese took part of South America and Asia, the French took Africa, and the British took most parts of the world. Millions of innocent people were killed by the Westerners. More than a hundred million indigenous people were killed in Australasia and North America. Twenty two million Africans were killed during the slave trade. Fifty nine million Indians were killed by starvation while the British rulers were sending India’s food to the United Kingdom and Europe. Furthermore, more than one million people were killed in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. But no-one was held accountable for those innocent people’s deaths. However, the British and the Americans kept the records of Nazi Germans’ atrocities in detail, and exposing them to the world, in order to cover-up their own atrocities. The Western Countries will never admit their atrocities; if they do then they can’t keep themselves on top.

    The Western countries are extremely clever in disguising their ulterior motives and dirty tricks. The Western Countries’ core focus in the Middle Eastern countries is oil, not democracy or human rights. It is all about exploiting others’ resources and keeping others under them. According to the Independent newspaper of London, Britain discussed plans to exploit Iraq’s oil reserves with some of the world’s biggest oil companies five months before it joined the United States by invading the country in 2003. Citing previously secret documents, the newspaper said at least five meetings were held between British officials and BP and Royal Dutch Shell in late 2002. BP privately said to the British Foreign Office that Iraq was “more important than anything we’ve seen for a long time.” The documents were obtained by the oil campaigner Greg Muttitt, author of the new book Fuel on the Fire: Oil and Politics in Occupied Iraq.

    “Mr Blair famously said in early 2003, ‘The idea that we’re interested in Iraq’s oil is absurd, it’s one of the most absurd conspiracy theories you can imagine”. While he was saying that, there was an internal secret document revealing the British strategy to exploit Iraqi oil, and it said, “Britain has an absolutely vital interest in Iraq’s oil”

    • 6
      1

      Antany Peter:

      Your long-winded argument literally says “if they can do it, so can we”. You should instead present arguments that will be able to debunk the claims in the report. What a fool you are.

      • 3
        3

        Not quite jansee. What he is saying is ‘if they can do it, they have no right to preach to others’

        • 3
          0

          ando pando, was deported from N.Z. now he wants to get back and fight them using N.Z legal aid- he shout till he drops dead.

          • 2
            5

            It doesn’t take that long to create a new email account and comment under Sinhala name. I know you, stop wasting your time and energy by commenting under bogus names. I never got deported from New Zealand, Australia, Canada or Germany. Therefore, stop your lies. I am an Australian citizen, why I should fight in New Zealand. You lie and talk nonsense. I believe that you need a medical help. Colombo Telegraph must maintain standards, it shouldn’t allow lies. He says that I got deported from New Zealand. Colombo Telegraph must verify it, shouldn’t entertain lies.

            • 4
              2

              “”He says that I got deported from New Zealand. Colombo Telegraph must verify it, shouldn’t entertain lies””

              Your own words on colombo gazette.

              forget me not

              but don’t kiss behind the walls

              • 1
                6

                You don’t provide evidence, but talk nonsense. Provide the link for the readers to see who enjoys lying. You know how to fool others, because that is what you have been doing since the 15th century, invading countries and ripping off others’ resources. You used invade countries on genocide or get into the countries as doing business then takeover the country. Now days you go as leaders of democracy. Trust me the dragon knows you well. In due time it will wiggle you by it’s tail. Indians may buy your fake morality but Chinese will not.

                • 6
                  2

                  Silly Willy Billy Go refer your post at CG- or find a place at Angoda or Jump into the sea and cross over to China I can meet you at Shaoling with Butterfly swords.Lets dual

                  On the Ning Nang Nong

                  Where the Cows go Bong!

                  And the monkeys all say BOO!

                  There’s a Nong Nang Ning

                  Where the trees go Ping!

                  And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.

                  On the Nong Ning Nang

                  All the mice go Clang

                  And you just can’t catch ’em when they do!

                  So its Ning Nang Nong

                  Cows go Bong!

                  Nong Nang Ning

                  Trees go ping

                  Nong Ning Nang

                  The mice go Clang

                  What a noisy place to belong

                  Is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!

                  • 3
                    3

                    It is very obvious you are losing and going crazy. You should have thought well before stepping on my toes by supporting convict Aussies. In fact, the West could have ruled this world longer, if the British hanged the convicts in England instead of sent to Australia and gave hardships to people like us. Julian Assange and I have done lots of damage to the West. We both from Australia, in fact Australia has far less population, but both of us turned against the West. It is clear convicts are doing wrong. Australia has lesser population than Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy or Greece, but two talented men turned against the West from Australia.

                    • 4
                      1

                      ando pando,
                      Pardon y’all, I don’t wanna step on y’all toes
                      I separate the authentic from the replica flows.
                      You step on someone’s toes Ooo
                      And it gets harder every day
                      To recognize your friends from foes.

        • 2
          6

          Jansee can’t even understand my comment. No wonder why the Western Masters and their puppets Tamil diaspora got nothing after 30 years of brutal war. The West won temporarily, but we will defeat them in due time. After all this is Asia, not Middle East or Africa.

          • 2
            3

            Antany, that defeat you wish to defeat in due time was achieved by pitting the sinhalese against the sinhalese. As much as you swirl around your “due time” Mahinda’s misadventure has chopped of his legs beneath his body. If at all he feels inspired by you to think of a “next time” I wonder whether it will be that difficult to just kick only one of the crutches that now graces Mahinda’s walks and talks.

        • 1
          1

          paul:

          An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand this sort of argument. After all, autocrats and dictators live by such mantras. Funny though, it is countries like SL that often fit it into your definition of ‘if they can do it, they have no right to preach to others’ but those countries don’t make an example out of SL.

          • 0
            1

            ‘An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind’

            You use democracy to turn people against each other, this is what you have done in Iraq and Libya. Chinese escaped because I have alerted the Chinese by mentioning your ulterior motive and fake morality.

    • 2
      0

      The West has won, temporarily.

  • 10
    3

    Good news for the Long suffering Northerners and Easterners and Bad news for others who does not believe in the Country moving in the Right direction.

    If the country need to move forward someone need to point out the Faults to Correct and Rule for the betterment of All people of the country.
    Not only good for the southerners where the goings are GOOD always. No problem there.!

    So it’s right to say Brick Bats and Bouquets for SL on the Human Rights Report.

    For the Selfish Narrow minded Racists it will be a Bitter Pill to swallow , All they can do in Modayas Style F……..k

  • 7
    2

    The Racist elements and the government will accept the British Kudos of Millions of GBP to build the highest Buddhist Temple in the country
    to show off while the poor continue to be poor in the North ,East and else where.

    These Foreign AIDS are for the betterment of the Poor not for showcase buildings and Roads.
    Those who do not believe in living in Harmony saying One Nation One People are only blowing Air through their backside.
    UNEDUCATED THUGS ?

  • 9
    1

    “………….continued reports of torture, and sexual and gender based violence”.

    Is it not shameful that these still exist in a state which claims to be a Democracy with Rule of Law.

    Will the new IGP take note, and create an Ultra Special Task Force to identify and arrest those responsible.

  • 6
    2

    The Wheel Of Justice turns slowly, but It turns. Nothing is ever settled till it is settled right.

    These maxims never falter.

    • 4
      0

      Nathan:

      If you believe just maxims to do the job then you are sorely wrong. Gone are the days when people fought with swords and spears mite. Funny though, I used to think that men needed god but over the years it dawned on me that god needs man to execute his devious plans and acts.

  • 1
    1

    UK’s Foreign and commonwealth office spokesperson has spoken about
    improvement in human rights situation in Sri Lanka but he has not
    specified areas where improvements have taken place. Certainly not
    in N/E provinces. Its only last week, British Tamil forum(BTF) have
    stated that 96% of the lands confiscated from Tamils during the war,
    not been returned to the rightful owners yet and some of these lands
    belong to members of the BTF. who are now British subjects and sure, they would have complained to the above spokesperson.Its already one year passed with the current govt.in power and the IDPs are not settled in their own lands, and still dangling in make shift camps, security forces are not reduced yet to a required level in N/E, thus being a hindrance to normal activities of the people and in diplomatic terms, it is called occupation.Employment opportunities for youths are not made available, although govt. is talking for over an year, about building an airport,seaport and repair of the only two broken factories
    in N/E .i.e. KKS cement and Paranthan chemical factories. This is what the govt.can offer for the whole of NP. Lucrative business like fishing
    is unfortunately in the hands of the Tamil Nadu fisher folks and the
    Govt.has not put a stop to illegal fishing to save extinction of the
    fishing community in the North.

    The organizations like above should not go by what is written in Govt.
    Web sites and must do a physical survey before what they put on paper
    as Tamils completely differ from what was stated above by the UK spokes
    -man

    • 2
      0

      Hello Lankawatch,

      The last sentence of what you said is missing. Can you make sure to complete that sentence please ?

      I think it paramount you complete your comment because what you said is so incredibly profound and interesting!

  • 0
    0

    Nathan,
    What gives you such optimism?

    • 0
      0

      Agnos,

      “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”, – Winston Churchill’s famous quote.

  • 3
    3

    British CRAP.

    Obama Says it is Camaron who Wrecked Libya.

    Are there any human rights there ?

    • 0
      0

      Jim Softy the wingnut, so we will catch and wipe out your entire family and then we will bring the Brits and Libya in there to justify the massacre.

  • 3
    1

    Jimsoftly Crap on and on again
    Empty vessels makes the most sound !! Sounds like. CRAP.??

Leave A Comment

Comments should not exceed 200 words. Embedding external links and writing in capital letters are discouraged. Commenting is automatically disabled after 5 days and approval may take up to 24 hours. Please read our Comments Policy for further details. Your email address will not be published.