Promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka: Remarks of Ambassador Michele J.
Sison
March 28, 2014, American Center
The message from the UN Human Rights Council in Gene a is clear! the international communit" has s#o$en, an% urges the Go ernment of &ri 'an$a to ta$e meaningful, concrete ste#s on reconciliation an% accounta(ilit") * ha e hear% criticism that this resolution is +against, &ir 'an$a) *t is not) This resolution -as un%erta$en in su##ort of the &ri 'an$an #eo#le, in recognition of the resilience the" ha e sho-n after "ears of -ar an% their "earning for %emocrac" an% #ros#erit") This resolution (uil%s on t-o #re ious resolutions) *t affirms the (elief of the international communit" that continue% effort is nee%e% to hel# &ri 'an$a ta$e meaningful action on reconciliation, .ustice, an% accounta(ilit") The resolution as$s the /ffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to con%uct a com#rehensi e in estigation into allege% serious iolations an% a(uses of human rights (" (oth #arties in &ri 'an$a %uring the #erio% co ere% (" the 'essons 'earnt an% Reconciliation Commission, the last #hase of the conflict) All three of the resolutions ha e ac$no-le%ge% #rogress ma%e in certain areas since 2000 in re(uil%ing infrastructure, %emining, an% resettling the ma.orit" of internall" %is#lace% #ersons) 1or "ears the Unite% &tates has strongl" su##orte% a &ri 'an$an2le% #rocess to resol e outstan%ing concerns from the conflict) The Unite% &tates Go ernment has (een ocal in our su##ort of the re#ort (" the ''RC an% its recommen%ations for a%%ressing longstan%ing issues of
reconciliation, .ustice, an% accounta(ilit") Ho-e er, not enough has (een %one to mo e for-ar% on these recommen%ations) 1urthermore, the human rights situation in &ri 'an$a is %eteriorating) 3e are concerne% a(out continue% attac$s against human rights %efen%ers, religious minorities, an% .ournalists, as -ell as the -ea$ening of the rule of la- an% increasing im#unit" for illegal actions) 4 en in these last -ee$s, -e sa- the %etention of human rights %efen%ers in &ri 'an$a, an% the harassment an% intimi%ation of man" other mem(ers of ci il societ", inclu%ing la-"ers) 3e continue to call for an en% to such acts of intimi%ation an% for all those %etaine% to (e #ro i%e% %ue #rocess an% grante% imme%iate access to legal counsel) 3e urge the &ri 'an$an go ernment to allo- human rights %efen%ers to (e allo-e% to carr" out their -or$ -ithout harassment or intimi%ation5 their %ut" is to ensure human rights for all) 3e ha e also note% -ith concern re#risals against those human rights %efen%ers an% acti ists -ho meet -ith isiting %i#lomats an% UN officials) Ci il societ"6s -or$ is an essential #art of a %emocrac") 1urthermore, -e are %ee#l" concerne% regar%ing the targeting an% iolence against mem(ers of religious minorities, an% attac$s on an% actions against #laces of -orshi# 22 Hin%u, Muslim, an% Christian) 7iolent rhetoric an% the encouragement of iolent actions onl" ser e to create further %isharmon", an% hin%er reconciliation) The #olice shoul% in fact #re ent such acts, an% in%i i%uals -ho attac$ #laces of -orshi# or threaten minorit"2o-ne% (usinesses shoul% (e (rought to .ustice in a court of la-) 3e ha e also echoe% the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights6 concerns regar%ing the increase of se8ual harassment an% iolence against -omen in the former conflict 9ones) Mean-hile, the erosion of rule of la- remains -orrisome) 48am#les inclu%e the attac$s against se eral #rominent .ournalists an% the numerous attac$s on ne-s#a#er staff 22 no one has (een #rosecute%, much less (rought to .ustice) There continues to (e ar(itrar" (loc$ing of ne-s -e(sites) There ha e (een continue% %ela"s in the trial of the %isa##earance of :rageeth 4$neligo%a)
Rule of 'a- nee%s to (e strengthene%, im#unit" en%e%, an% (asic legislation, inclu%ing the 7ictim an% 3itness :rotection an% Right to *nformation (ills, (oth calle% for (" the ''RC, nee% to (e enacte%) 1ailure to act on these matters un%ermines &ri 'an$a6s #rou% %emocratic tra%itions) That is -h" the Unite% &tates, together -ith its international #artners, has calle% in this Human Rights Council resolution u#on the Go ernment of &ri 'an$a to fulfill its longstan%ing #u(lic commitments to its o-n #eo#le to a%%ress these ital issues of reconciliation an% accounta(ilit", an% to ensure #rotection of human rights an% fun%amental free%oms for all &ri 'an$ans) The te8t -as %iscusse% at length -ith UNHRC mem(er an% o(ser er states, as -ell as -ith other sta$ehol%ers) /ur goal in %oing so is to su##ort the &ri 'an$an #eo#le) The Unite% &tates alues the frien%shi# that Americans an% &ri 'an$ans share) 4 en as &ri 'an$a -itnesse% the terri(le 2;2"ear conflict, the Unite% &tates strongl" su##orte% the #eo#le of this countr") The Unite% &tates has consistentl" e8#resse% concern a(out human rights issues an% a(uses committe% (" (oth si%es %uring the conflict) 3e -ere the first nation to #roscri(e the 'TT4 as a terrorist organi9ation an% it remains a %esignate% organi9ation in the Unite% &tates) 3e $nothe horror that this conflict (rought on the li es of all &ri 'an$an communities) 3e -ere encourage% to see the en% of that long an% terri(le conflict an% -e su##ort the &ri 'an$an #eo#le an% their %esire to see a unifie%, #eaceful countr") Res#ect for human rights, trans#arenc", an% %emocratic go ernance are all essential to flourish in this glo(al econom") 3ithout .ustice, reconciliation, an% accounta(ilit", there can (e no sustaine% #eace an% #ros#erit" for the #eo#le of &ri 'an$a) /f course there has (een a great %eal of interest on the #ortion of the resolution that calls u#on the /ffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor the situation in &ri 'an$a an% continue to assess #rogress on rele ant national #rocesses) *t also calls on that /ffice to +un%erta$e a com#rehensi e in%e#en%ent in estigation into allege% serious iolations an% a(uses of human rights an% relate% crimes (" (oth #arties in &ri 'an$a, %uring the #erio% co ere% (" the 'essons 'earnt an% Reconciliation Commission, an% esta(lish the facts an% circumstances of such allege% iolations an% of the crimes #er#etrate% -ith a ie- to a oi%ing im#unit" an% ensuring accounta(ilit", -ith rele ant
e8#erts an% s#ecial #roce%ures), The UN Human Rights Council mem(ers also as$e% the High Commissioner to #resent an oral u#%ate at its t-ent"2se enth session ne8t "ear an% #ro i%e a com#rehensi e re#ort follo-e% (" a %iscussion on the im#lementation of the #resent resolution at its t-ent"2eighth session) * also -ant to #oint out that the Unites &tates has -elcome% the Go ernment of &ri 'an$a6s coo#eration in facilitating recent isits (" High Commissioner :illa" an% the &#ecial Ra##orteur for *<:s) 3e an% the High Commissioner ha e encourage% the go ernment to #rioriti9e the isits of the s#ecial #roce%ures man%ate hol%ers on enforce% or in oluntar" %isa##earances an% on minorit" issues) 3e ha e also encourage% the go ernment to res#on% #ositi el" to the offer of technical assistance ma%e (" the High Commissioner an% re=uests for isits (" s#ecial man%ate hol%ers) *n closing, let me reiterate that this resolution -as ta(le% -ith the (enefit of the &ri 'an$an #eo#le in min%) 1or generations, this countr" has $no-n too much iolence) &ri 'an$ans %eser e (etter an% shoul% (e a(le to li e in %ignit" in a #ros#erous, unite% an% #eaceful countr") That is the aim of this latest resolution an% that -ill (e the goal of our U)&) #olic" mo ing for-ar%) The Unite% &tates has note% se eral times that -e stan% rea%" to assist the #eo#le of &ri 'an$a an% the &ri 'an$an go ernment in these efforts) * loo$ for-ar% to continuing our engagement -ith the Go ernment of &ri 'an$a an% strengthening our frien%shi# -ith the &ri 'an$an #eo#le)
