Geneva Convention Bill in House soon

THE Government yesterday said it will introduce comprehensive legislation to give effect to four Geneva Conventions on safeguarding human rights in a conflict.

Sri Lanka became party to this 1949 conventions in 1959 but the legal set up to deal with such a situation practically were not put in place, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told reporters at the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday.

The Cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by Minister Anura Bandaranaike to gazette new laws and present the new Bill, the 'Geneva convention Bill' in Parliament shortly.

The first UN Convention deals with amelioration of the conditions of wounded and sick in Armed Forces in the field.

The Second Convention deals with amelioration of the conditions of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked men of Armed Forces at the sea.

The Third Convention deals with treatment of prisoners of war while the Fourth Convention deals with the protection of civilians in a time of war.