UN Human Rights Chief has urged the Sri Lankan authorities to consult deeply with the victims in formulating a mechanism that would lay the foundations for a lasting peace and reconciliation and to ensure that failures of the past are not repeated.
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein – The HR Chief
In his annual report, which was delivered before the ongoing 28th UNHRC session in Geneva, UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has stressed on the importance of the seizing the opportunity granted by the deferral of the OISL (OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka) to ensure that its used to promote reconciliation and peace in the country.
“This is singular opportunity for the government to lay the foundations in justice for a lasting peace and reconciliation,” Hussein has stated.
Meanwhile, he has also commended the government’s agreement to invite him as well as the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparations and Guarantees of non-recurrence and the working group on enforced and involuntary disappearances,to Sri Lanka before the September session.
“During this period, the OHCHR staff also plans to engage on the ground with all stakeholders to advanace transitional justice issues,” he has noted.
Read High Commissioner’s annual report in full here
punchinilame / March 5, 2015
NESoHR in its Statement (http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=37676)
“re, Nallaratnam Singarasa, many years ago the Human Rights Committee in its view directed the Sri Lanka government to either repeal PTA or to amend the offending sections not in conformity with the International criminal law standards and norms. However six years after Mullivaikal it remains in force.
Any criminal law practitioner in Sri Lanka especially in the Northeast knew how an alleged suspect in a case under PTA or EMR was tortured to obtain a so called ‘confession’. This was due to the fact that under the above draconian laws confession was allowed in evidence against the accused whereas it was not allowed under the normal laws of the country.”
The new Govts Justice Minister may have to look into this in view of what the UN tells
GoSL?
/
Ajith / March 6, 2015
This is singular opportunity for the government to lay the foundations in justice for a lasting peace and reconciliation,”
This is very important statement every single citizen must take care of it. The three importantant issues are justice, peace and reconciliation. Peace and reconciliation is only possibe when there is justice for the past events. Peace and reconciliation was diturbed when the principles of governance misused its power in order to favour racism. When the Sinhala only act was introduced Tamil politicians protested in front of Parliament lawfully but they were attacked and the law and order system failed to protect those people elected parliamentarians. Following this in 1958, Tamils all over the island were massacred and the government that was in power and its military and police that was there to protect innocent Tamil citizens failed to protect them but intentionaly allowed that to happen. Only reason they failed to protect the Tamil citizen because they are Tamils.
Unless there is a proper protection struture and justice system is found for those communities who are in less numbers and who have no power in decision making, there will be no peace or reconciliation.
/
Jim softy / March 6, 2015
This guy is silent about human right violations in his own country Jordan as well as his neighbouring country Israel.
Just try to bully Sri Lanka.
That is why Sri lanka has to learn how cuba existed in a very dangerous zone.
That will work for Sri lanka too.
Because, the money is in some where else.
/
watcher / March 6, 2015
Hussein is a puppet on a US string, how come a, born into royal family paid by British to run as a stooge now he is telling SL not to fight terror with terror .
Terrorist only understand terror and nothing else, and any terrorists that take their own people as human shield does not qualify for human rights.. We treat them as cockroaches and nothing more. If SL fail to rescue Tamil civilians then SL would have been in a category of fail state.
Western imperialist will create stories to bring certain countries to there knees and SL should not bow to any of these colonialists.
SL govt. got full data what happen in last week of the war and that damn idiot Basil shut down the presentation, may be there is no money for him there….
/
K.A Sumanasekera / March 6, 2015
Under Yahapalanaya, most important Government institutions which affect the lives of the great majority of the inhabitants who happen to be Sinhala Buddhists, are run by Muslims.
Ports and Customs, Higher Education, Urban Development, and even Agriculture are a few examples.
My elders tell me these appointments are to necessary to eliminate corruption and give us good governance.
And Yahapalana Boss can’t find any Sinhala Buddhists who are not corrupt.
Yahapalana Boss has even appointed Buddhist monks to hunt down corrupt Sinhala Buddhists who served the country after Nanthikadal.
Now Bedoiun Zeid is cracking the whip to round up the HR violating Sinhala Buddhists.
These Sinhala Buddhists must be a real bad lot in the eyes of the West and their agents, including our own Elite agents in Colombo.
/
Chandra / March 6, 2015
The heading of the article if not the Editor’s choice is high handed and very undiplomatic which perhaps reflects change of stance in our foreign policy.
/
Nallaih / March 6, 2015
This UNHRC does not provide anything to Tamils and also War Criminals will not be jailed. This zeid and other western men are just playing their political agenda. Actually speaking you dont give a s**t if another genocide happens in future in SL against Tamils. (I posted this comment to the same news in DAILYMIRROR.LK they did not publish)
/
iemerald / March 7, 2015
mate it happens to all of us who comment on issues in different media. dont take it personal and it is not unique to you or whatever. just keep commenting like allof us do without feeling left out. OK
/