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Humanitarian Law Conference held in Colombo

by Sarath Malalasekera

The International Humanitarian Law Conference was held with the participation of 90 Judicial Officers from the North-East and North Central Provinces at the Grand Oriental Hotel Colombo on Saturday.

Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva was the chief guest. The conference was organised by the Legal Aid Foundation (LAF) Chairman S. S. Wijeratne assisted by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and sponsored by Canadian International Development Agency - United Nations Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

UNHCR Protection Officer Bobby Ray Gordon, LAF Chairman S. S. Wijeratne, BASL President Ajantha Athukorala, K. Karunakaran, PC, member of the Constitutional Council and Senior State Counsel, Sarath Jayamanne were at the head table.

High Court Judges, Tudor Gunaratne, Sri Skandarajah and former BASL President, Upali Gooneratne also participated.

The Chief Justice addressing the Judicial Officers said that all human beings should be given equal treatment and equal opportunities. "This subject is very close to my heart," the Chief Justice added.

All Judicial Officers should hold the scale equally without any political or personal reasons.

A heavy burden rests on judicial officers and the lawyers in the North and the East. One cannot wait till the situation become normal and full peace is established. "Without waiting for the horizon to rise, we must go to the horizon to achieve what is needed," the Chief Justice said.

The Chief Justice paid a glowing tribute to the Legal Aid Foundation and to its chairman S.S. Wijeratna for their excellent performance carried out in the North-East areas to give relief to the needy.

Rs. 70 million was spent on Trincomalee courts. Another Rs. 100 million will be spent to set up court premises in the Jaffna peninsula with the assistance of the World Bank, the Chief Justice said.

During the discussions it was revealed that the authorities should take immediate action to issue birth certificates to the displaced children in the North-East. Without a birth certificate the children are unable to go to school.

At a lengthy discussion LAF Chairman Wijeratne said that whatever the decision taken at the conference regarding birth certificates to displaced children will be forwarded to the relevant authorities for necessary action.

Bobby Ray Gordon in his address said that as Sri Lanka enters into its second year of peace following the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in February 2002, the prospects for a lasting peace in Sri Lanka are better now than they have been in many years. The Sri Lanka branch of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, sincerely hopes that the peace talks succeed and that a permanent and lasting peace will come to Sri Lanka.

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