{"id":217467,"date":"2021-03-23T17:16:30","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T11:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=217467"},"modified":"2021-03-24T00:35:05","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T19:05:05","slug":"sri-lanka-landmark-un-resolution-marks-crucial-turning-point-on-justice-and-accountability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/sri-lanka-landmark-un-resolution-marks-crucial-turning-point-on-justice-and-accountability\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka:\u00a0Landmark\u00a0UN Resolution Marks\u00a0Crucial\u00a0Turning Point On\u00a0Justice And\u00a0Accountability\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A new UN resolution on Sri Lanka is an important step forward and offers renewed hope of long-awaited justice for victims of the country\u2019s 30-year civil conflict, said Amnesty International, following its adoption by the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The\u00a0resolution\u00a0not only ramps up international monitoring\u00a0and\u00a0scrutiny\u00a0of the\u00a0human rights\u00a0situation\u00a0in Sri Lanka,\u00a0but also\u00a0mandates the UN human rights office\u00a0to\u00a0collect, consolidate\u00a0and preserve\u00a0evidence for future prosecutions and\u00a0make recommendations to the international community on steps\u00a0they can make to deliver on justice and accountability. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cThis is\u00a0a\u00a0significant\u00a0move by the Human Rights Council, which signals a shift in approach by the international community.\u00a0Years\u00a0of support and encouragement\u00a0to Sri Lanka to pursue justice at\u00a0the\u00a0national level\u00a0achieved\u00a0nothing.\u00a0This resolution\u00a0should send a clear message to perpetrators of past and current crimes that they cannot continue to act with impunity,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Hilary Power, Amnesty International\u2019s\u00a0representative to the UN in Geneva.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cWhile\u00a0an important first step, the\u00a0real\u00a0impact of further\u00a0monitoring and reporting\u00a0will rely on\u00a0other UN member states using\u00a0the resolution\u00a0as a basis for concrete action,\u00a0including\u00a0investigations and prosecutions under universal jurisdiction and\u00a0a\u00a0possible\u00a0referral to the International Criminal Court.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The resolution\u00a0was\u00a0adopted\u00a0in light of\u00a0what the UN human rights chief described as \u201cinsurmountable barriers for victims to access justice\u201d at national level, and the \u201cinability and unwillingness\u201d of the Government to prosecute and punish perpetrators of\u00a0crimes under\u00a0international\u00a0law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The resolution comes in the wake of damning reports by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International and others, condemning Sri Lanka\u2019s ongoing refusal to address historic crimes and expressing alarm over the deteriorating outlook for human rights in the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

As the resolution was being negotiated in Geneva, Sri Lanka continued to\u00a0issue blanket denials and reject the findings and legitimacy of the UN\u00a0report.\u00a0In the meantime, at home\u00a0the\u00a0authorities\u00a0continued to prove the concerns valid,\u00a0passing new regulations that target minorities<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cWe urge Sri Lanka to engage constructively with the OHCHR, to implement the recommendations of the report and to allow full and unfettered access to the country.\u00a0Failing this, the Human Rights Council may\u00a0take more robust action, including\u00a0the establishment of an independent accountability mechanism,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Hilary Power.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Background<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Today\u2019s resolution was adopted by a vote, called by\u00a0China\u00a0and Pakistan.\u00a0The resolution\u00a0was led by Canada, Germany, Malawi, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

In February 2020, the\u00a0Sri Lankan government withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council\u2019s landmark resolution 30\/1<\/a><\/span>,\u00a0which the previous government had co-sponsored, to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights in the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Amnesty\u00a0International\u00a0estimates that more than 60,000 people disappeared during Sri Lanka\u2019s\u00a030-year civil\u00a0conflict.\u00a0Consecutive UN investigations have found credible\u00a0allegations of\u00a0violations and abuses of\u00a0international\u00a0human rights\u00a0and international humanitarian law\u00a0by both sides,\u00a0particularly\u00a0during the\u00a0final phase of\u00a0the\u00a0conflict.\u00a0See\u00a0here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for further information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The resolution responds to an\u00a0OHCHR report<\/span><\/a>\u00a0released in January, which\u00a0warned that Sri Lanka\u2019s persistent failure to address historic crimes is giving way to \u2018clear early warning signs of a deteriorating human rights situation and a significantly heightened risk of future\u00a0violations,\u2019\u00a0and made concrete recommendations for \u201cpreventive action\u201d for the\u00a0Human Rights Council,\u00a0including enhanced monitoring and reporting, and the collection and preservation of evidence, which have been mandated by this resolution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Prior to the UNHRC session, Amnesty International published\u202fan assessment of the situation in Sri Lanka<\/a><\/span>, setting out clear expectations for UNHRC action.\u00a0Amnesty International\u00a0also released a\u00a0report\u00a0in February,\u00a0Old ghosts in new garb: Sri Lanka\u2019s return to fear<\/a><\/span>,\u00a0which details\u00a0the authorities\u2019\u00a0renewed crackdown on dissent and obstruction of\u00a0efforts to deliver justice for conflict-era crimes,\u00a0and a\u00a0statement<\/a><\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0March around the\u00a0worrying trend of increased marginalization and targeting of Sri Lanka\u2019s Muslim community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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