The UNHRC has called on Sri Lanka to amend restrictive laws, including the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Online Safety Act, and to address reports of surveillance and intimidation in the north and east.
Director of the Global Operations Division of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Maarit Kohonen Sheriff providing an update on Resolution 57/1, Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, urged the new government to uphold human rights and ensure new laws are developed transparently.
Full statement:
Following presidential and parliamentary elections late last year, the National People’s Power coalition secured a large majority in parliament, signalling a decisive mandate from the Sri Lankan people to undertake transformative social, political and economic reforms.
Economic crises and austerity measures have impacted deeply on the poorest and most vulnerable in society. Creditors need to provide the government with the fiscal space necessary to realize all human rights.
In his inaugural address to parliament, President Kumara Dissanayake acknowledged the harms that have resulted from decades of ethnic divisions and racism. He pledged to address some longstanding human rights concerns, including by tackling corruption and ensuring accountability for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and other emblematic cases. These commitments to end impunity should extend to the large scale violations that occurred during the civil war and prior insurgencies.
These crimes must be thoroughly investigated, justice served victims and perpetrators held accountable. The new government has taken an initial step to appoint an expert panel to establish an independent prosecutor’s office. We also urged the new government to reform and strengthen the office of missing persons, including by appointing independent and credible members to achieve meaningful progress in the thousands of cases of enforced disappearances.
The government is taking steps to amend problematic legislation, such as the oppressive Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Online Safety Act. All new laws must comply with Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations and be developed in a transparent, consultative and inclusive manner.
Our office continues to receive reports of surveillance and intimidation by security agents in the north and east, highlighting the need for more fundamental security sector reforms. We urge the new government to lift unnecessary regulation and restriction civil society and independent media to revive the civic space.
This is an important opportunity in Sri Lanka’s history that must now translate into meaningful progress on accountability and human rights so heal societal divisions and break the cycle of impunity that has for so long racked Sri Lanka’s past. Our office is ready to support Sri Lanka and hopes it can report tangible results to this council in September. (Newswire)
