Report of the Special Rapporteur

Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye submitted pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/61 - Visit to Sri Lanka

Introduction

		1. At the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions visited Sri Lanka from 24 August to 5 September 1997. Prior to the visit, he had been in contact with the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva, who cooperated fully and facilitated the visit. During his stay in the country, all of the Special Rapporteurs' specific requests for meetings with high-level government officials were met, except for the meeting with the President and the Deputy Minister for Defence. Similarly, visits to Jaffna, Batticaloa and Ratnapura were facilitated with appropriate briefings and meetings. While in Sri Lanka, the Special Rapporteur enjoyed freedom of movement, and freedom of access to private individuals and non-governmental organizations. 2. The purpose of the visit was to assess the situation of the right to life in the country, to investigate allegations of extrajudicial executions and to check the implementation of certain measures introduced by the Government to safeguard the right to life, as well as its efforts to investigate, prosecute and prevent such occurrences. 3. The Special Rapporteur would like to record his deep appreciation to the Government of Sri Lanka for its cooperation in facilitating his visit to the country and in responding to his requests for information and explanation. The Special Rapporteur would also like to thank the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative and the UNDP offices in Colombo and Jaffna for the logistical and organizational support provided in connection with the mission. 4. In Colombo, the Special Rapporteur met with the following governmental representatives: the Minister for Foreign Affairs; the Minister of Justice, Constitutional Affairs, Ethnic Affairs and National Integration; the Secretary, Ministry of Defence; the Secretary, Ministry of Justice; the Secretary and Additional Secretary and other officials from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs; the Attorney_General. He also met with the Inspector General of Police (IGP). In Jaffna and Batticaloa, the Special Rapporteur met with the Magistrate and the Regional Commanders of the armed forces and the police. 5. The Special Rapporteur also met members of Parliament representing various regions and parties, members of the newly established Human Rights Commission, members of the Commission of Inquiry into Involuntary Removal and Disappearances, lawyers, representatives of local human rights and other non-governmental organizations and dozens of victims of human rights violations and their relatives. 6. The information and views obtained in the course of his visits and meetings will be reflected below under relevant subject headings.
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