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The Sri Lanka Air Force has established a Human Rights Cell (HRC) in pursuance of the recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial working group on Human Rights.

This demonstrates the Continuing Commitment of the government for the promotion and protection of human rights, said the Secretariat of the Sub Committee on Information processing and dissemination attached to the Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee on Human Rights in a press release issued yesterday.

The release said the Cell will strengthen the capacity of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) to further promote compliance with International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law.

It said, "The mandate of the SLAF-HRC would focus on providing education and training in human rights and humanitarian law, monitoring human rights violations and issuing orders in respect of arrests, detention and handling over SLAF personnel to police, following such orders. Sri Lanka Air Force HRC will also be responsible for reporting to the Ministry of Defence and other relevant agencies on matters pertaining to human rights. The Cell will have the responsibility to maintain interaction and relations with other relevant national agencies such as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and Centre for the Studies on Human Rights, University of Colombo. The Cell's mandate will also include maintaining relations with the international humanitarian and human rights organisations such as ICRC. The SLAF-HRC will represent the SLAF Commander in Inter-ministerial fora including the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Human Rights.

Through its various training programmes the Air Force has been endeavouring to impart knowledge and enhance awareness of the importance of and respect for humanitarian law and human rights focusing special attention to conflict situation. The training programmes are conducted internally at different levels commencing from Recruitment and Cadet Training extending upto Non-Commissioned Officers Management Course and Junior Command and Staff Courses.

The Cell is functioning under the Directorate of Administration and is headed by a staff officer with rank of Group Captain, assisted by representatives from directorates of training operations administration and legal division of the SLAF. 

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