Posts Categorized: Human Rights

Inescapable Truth

The adoption of a UNHRC consensus resolution on the UN report into Sri Lanka’s atrocities (OISL) has been welcomed by many as the first step in a long process to move Sri Lanka towards an era of justice and reconciliation through genuine accountability, together with the Sri Lankan foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera’sopening address to the… Read more »

A More Robust Democracy will Safeguard Peace in Sri Lanka

by Richard Armitage & Karen Bue, ‘South China Morning Post,’ Hong Kong, October 9, 2015 The horrors of the conflict in Sri Lanka were laid bare in a report issued last month by the UN Human Rights Council. Unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence and the use of child soldiers were among the parade of… Read more »

Pressuring Sri Lanka for Peace

By Taylor Dibbert, ‘The Wall Street Journal’ Opinion page, New York, October 7, 2015 Last Thursday, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution that seemed, once again, to promote postwar reconciliation and express a broad international consensus for ensuring those who committed serious human-rights violations during the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war… Read more »

Fact Sheets on OISL Report

OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka Fact Sheet 1: Overview of the Report Fact Sheet 2: Torture Fact Sheet 3: Deprivation of Liberty Fact Sheet 4: Unlawful Killings Fact Sheet 5: Abduction Fact Sheet 6: Control of Movement Fact Sheet 7: Last Phase of War    

Pressuring Sri Lanka for Peace

Last Thursday, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution that seemed, once again, to promote postwar reconciliation and express a broad international consensus for ensuring those who committed serious human-rights violations during the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war are held accountable. The problem is the resolution’s overly diplomatic and, at times, vague… Read more »

Sen. Cardin Speech on the Importance of Accountability in Sri Lanka

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 6, 2015  CONTACTS: Adam Sharon 202-224-4651 Sue Walitsky 202-224-4524   Cardin Speech on the Importance of Accountability in Sri Lanka   WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, submitted the following remarksfor the congressional record regarding the importance of accountability in… Read more »

Reaction to UNHRC Resolution in Colombo

PM upbeat on Sri Lankan solution by ‘Daily Mirror,’ Colombo, September 29, 2015 Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that the resolution co-sponsored by the US and Sri Lanka placed before the UNHRC would pave the way to bring about a Sri Lankan solution to the question of reconciliation and accountability during the last stages… Read more »

Role of UN and International Community in Sri Lanka

by Sarava Kanesathasan, ‘The Island,’ Colombo, September 20, 2015 To its credit, it was the US that initiated the international accountability process in Sri Lanka through the 2014 UNHRC resolution which called for an international investigation by the Office of the UN High Commissioner (OISL Report). That resolution was preceded by five years of failure… Read more »

‘We Have Talked So Much About It

By Nimmi Gowrinathan and Kate Cronin-Furman, “The Washington Post’s’ Monkey Cage blog, October 1, 2015 This photograph, released by the Sri Lankan army in 2009, allegedly shows civilians who managed to escape from the last remaining Tamil Tiger rebel-held patch of coastline in Sri Lanka. A long-awaited United Nations report on Sept. 16 detailed horrific abuses… Read more »

What Just Happened in Geneva?

Today the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted resolution 30/29 on accountability in Sri Lanka. You can watch the discussion here: https://www.srilankacampaign.org/what-just-happened-in-geneva/ You can read the final text here. And you can read our summary of what it means here. So is this good news or bad news? It is actually quite difficult to say. This… Read more »

Overcoming the Peace Versus Justice Divide in Colombia

New developments are advancing hopes that the Colombian government and the largest anti-government armed group in the country—the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC—will soon reach an agreement in their protracted peace talks to bring an end to the country’s even more protracted armed conflict. Last week, the Colombian government and FARC leaders agreed… Read more »

USTPAC Calls for Speedy Implementation of Transitional Justice Mechanism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Human Rights Council Adopts Landmark Resolution on Sri Lanka USTPAC calls for speedy implementation of transitional justice mechanism Washington, DC – (October 2, 2015): The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka yesterday. With the Report of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka… Read more »

2015 UNHRC Resolution on Sri Lanka

 —– Archived webcast of discussion of OHCHR Report on Sri Lanka OHCHR Report on Sri Lanka – 37th Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human Rights Council OHCHR Report on Sri Lanka (Cont’d) – 38th Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human Rights Council  —— Resolution on Sri Lanka A/HRC/30/1 UNHRC Resolution 30/1 October 1 2015 Received from (main… Read more »

UNHCHR Zeid Statement to UNHRC on Sri Lanka

Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein via videolink to the Human Rights Council Scroll down for the video message link. 30 September 2015 Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the report of OHCHR on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, including… Read more »

Fr. Emmanuel Statement to UNHRC

Statement by Fr.S.J.Emmanuel on the 30th Sept.2015 at the UNHRC We give a cautious but hopeful welcome to this Resolution. We thank the High Commissioner and his team for the Report – a historic document in promoting Truth, Justice and Accountability for all the peoples of Sri Lanka. How far the mechanism proposed in this… Read more »

Pasumai Thayagam Statements to UNHRC

Three statements below by ‘Green Motherland,’ India at the UN Human Rights Council re Tamils in Sri Lanka: UN Human Rights Council, October 30, 2015 General Debate on the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss MPThank You Mr.President This is Dr. Anbumani… Read more »

Joint Statement of Tamil Political Parties, Civil Society & Trade Unions

Joint Statement of Tamil Political Parties, CS Orgs and Trade Unions ——————– JOINT  STATEMENT  OF  TAMIL  POLITICAL  PARTIES, CIVIL  SOCIETY  ORGANISATIONS  & TRADE  UNIONS  ON THE  DRAFT  RESOLUTION  ON  SRI  LANKA 29  September  2015 We   release   this   statement   in   response   to   the   draft   resolution   titled… Read more »

NPC Chief Minister Statement to UNHRC

 NPC_CM__to_UNHRC To The Membership of the UN Human Rights Council  Geneva At the request of the Chief Minister of Northern Province, I am forwarding herewith the statement in relation to the OISL report and the Consensus Resolution for your kind information, reference and consideration please.  Thanking you. Yours Faithfully Ravi Sharma Staff Officer attached to Chief Minister’s… Read more »

Report & Recommendations of UNHCHR to UNHRC on Sri Lanka

HCHR Report and Recommendations  A_HRC_30_61_ENG http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/OISL.aspx   A/HRC/30/61 Advance Unedited Version Distr.: General 16 September 2015   Original: English Human Rights Council Thirtieth session Agenda item 2 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Report of the Office of… Read more »