Lanka seeks a political solution based on human rights
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe
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Excerpts of a speech made by Mahinda Samarasinghe Minister of
Disaster Management and Human rights at the inaugural session of the UN
Human Rights Council held in Geneva.
SPEECH: Today is a historic day for all those who have worked
relentlessly during the past several years to make the UN human rights
machinery more responsive, accountable and able to heed the voices and
sentiments of the countless numbers of the aggrieved more effectively
and to act more decisively.
The international community stands on the threshold of a new
beginning today in the global campaign for the promotion and protection
of human rights, one of the central missions of the United Nations.
We hope that the creation of this new body will usher all of us from
"an era of declaration" to "an era of implementation" where the
promotion and protection of human rights become a cross-cutting and
integrated item of all our activities, whether they relate to
development, security, conflict resolution, peace-building or
peace-keeping.
No state - whether that state is a member of this Council or not -
can be oblivious to the widening ramifications and consequences of human
rights violations, which affect the very foundations of democracy, peace
and stability and sustainable development.
This new era therefore should in large measure focus on the further
implementation of norms and standards that have been established during
the past six decades through further strengthening of national
institutions and frameworks for the promotion and protection of human
rights, all over the world.
As a small developing nation and a vibrant democracy in Asia, Sri
Lanka was heartened and humbled by the vote of confidence bestowed on us
by the international community, in electing us to the Human Rights
Council.
We pledge our continued commitment and constructive engagement to
enable this Council to carry out its mandate - as stipulated in General
Assembly resolution 60/251 - "to promote universal respect for the
protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without
distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner".
For the first time in Sri Lanka, a cabinet ministry to deal with the
subject of human rights has now been established by President Mahinda
Rajapaksa as a clear demonstration of his resolve and commitment to
promote and protect the rights of all people living in Sri Lanka.
Under my ministry, I have set up an advisory body consisting of State
officials and civil society leaders to work together and report to me
including undertaking fact-finding field visits.
The Permanent Standing Committee on Human Rights, set up to provide
policy guidance and leadership to the State machinery with regard to the
promotion and protection of human rights, met just two weeks after Sri
Lanka was elected as a member of this Council, in order to take stock of
how the pledges made during our campaign could be implemented as early
as possible.
A large number of decisions taken at that meeting co-chaired by the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and myself will serve as our road map in the
coming months. These decisions have already been published widely in the
press for purposes of transparency.
Under my chairmanship, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human
Rights, which is the executing arm of the Permanent Standing Committee
on Human Rights, has already taken a number of steps towards
implementing our pledges.
Due to the present stalemate we are experiencing with regard to the
appointment of the Constitutional Council, I wish to inform that
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to recommend to Parliament the
appointment of a multi-party Parliamentary Select Committee with a view
to resolving the procedural shortcomings and further strengthening of
the democratic governance objectives of the 17th Amendment to the
Constitution under which the Constitutional Council was set-up.
We view this exercise as a further confidence-building measure among
all citizens in Sri Lanka. With this corrective action, we hope that all
impediments to the effective functioning of the Constitutional Council
and independent commissions will be removed.
Sri Lanka has over the years followed a tradition of close and
constructive cooperation with all human rights mechanisms even during
the period of the armed conflict. Our experience in dealing with
violence and terrorism has made us acutely aware of the need to
demonstrate Sri Lanka's commitment to openness and accountability in the
promotion and protection of human rights even under difficult
circumstances.
On the directive of President Rajapaksa I have taken immediate action
to ensure that the movement of material and equipment for reconstruction
and development activities in the North and East is carried out while
maintaining accountability and transparency.
My Ministry has been given a mandate to assist in coordinating
matters relating to the IDP's as well as other humanitarian assistance
in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. I hope to do this in close
cooperation with UN and International organisations.
The continued support of UNHCR and ICRC in the areas affected by the
conflict has been invaluable over the years, in particular during the
unprecedented tsunami in December 2004,
The Government is also aware of the difficulties faced by some
members of the international NGO community working in the
conflict-affected areas.
The Government has unreservedly condemned the recent terrorist
attacks on some members of the international NGO community who were
playing a supportive role to the State machinery in providing basic
amenities, welfare measures and relief and rehabilitation to the people
in the conflict-affected areas.
I have instructed the law enforcement authorities to accelerate the
investigations into these attacks in order to bring the perpetrators to
justice, without delay.
Sri Lanka today is well on its way to achieving the Millennium
Developments Goals through the involvement of a wide range of partners
and stakeholders who have succeeded in creating broad national ownership
and awareness of these goals.
The care of children is a matter in which the President of Sri Lanka
takes a personal interest having declared the year 2006 as the National
Year of Children under which a plan of action has been formulated and
projects are being implemented.
Sri Lanka will soon become a party to the optional protocol to the
Convention on the Right of the Child on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography. Sri Lanka also remains in the
forefront of the campaign to have the use of child soldiers condemned
and banned worldwide.
The LTTE has for many years been engaged in recruiting children for
armed combat. Despite their solemn undertaking given to UNICEF, the LTTE
has continued the practice of recruiting thousands of children in most
cases byforce which is well documented by UNICEF and international NGOs.
Many of the complaints registered by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
against the LTTE pertain to deliberate violations of the rights of
children. The Government is in the process of finalising the terms of
reference of the Task Force on monitoring and reporting on this matter
in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1612.
The Government of Sri Lanka has noted the recent announcement by the
European Union concerning the listing of the LTTE as a terrorist
organisation under EU regulations.
This is the latest in a series of deterrent measures by the
international community concerning acts of violence perpetrated by the
LTTE against innocent civilians, ceasefire monitors and security forces,
with the intention of undermining the Government's peace efforts, to
engage the LTTE in a credible and sustainable process of negotiations.
We note with serious concern that LTTE's acts of violence are not
confined only to military targets, but increasingly to civilians and
non-combatants as well.
One tragic example was the recent senseless LTTE terrorist attack on
a bus full of innocent civilians including many mothers and children
travelling to a free government health clinic at Kebithigollewa last
week. This has drawn international condemnation.
In his condolence message President Rajapaksa reiterated that
'whatever savage and barbaric acts the LTTE may indulge in, we will
never allow our search for peace to be derailed'.
Notwithstanding this the Government is committed to investigate and
bring to a conclusion all attacks on innocent civilians. The culprits
when identified will be brought to book.
We are grateful to the international community who have been
unanimous in their appreciation of the patience and restraint shown by
the President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the face of extreme provocation.
The Government is of the firm conviction that solutions to the issues
at hand have to be sought only through political means and not through
military means.
As articulated by President Rajapaksa, I wish to assure you that the
Government of Sri Lanka will continue to press ahead with its search for
a political solution to the conflict, based on democracy pluralism and
human rights that meets the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka.
We are of the firm commitment that this can only be done through the
process of sustained dialogue. To this end, we express the hope that the
international community will continue to play a positive role in
encouraging all parties to the conflict to engage in a sincere dialogue
towards finding a political solution acceptable to all communities in
Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a multicultural, multireligious and multilingual
society. We are of the firm conviction that it is only through the
respect of this diversity that we can cultivate the unity among all Sri
Lankans resulting in a truly Sri Lankan identity and sustainable
development.
In conclusion, let me refer to the new priority given in General
Assembly Resolution 60/251 to human rights education and learning,
advisory services, technical assistance and capacity building to be
provided at the request of and with the consent of member states.
This is a solid platform to bring a new development dimension into
this area and stimulate dialogue for cooperation' in the new Council,
and to this end Sri Lanka will make a contribution of US$ 10,000 to the
Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation.
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