US- Lanka Military Law Exchange Programme
Military law professionals from the US Pacific Command Judge Advocate
Office, in partnership with the American Embassy in Colombo, hosted a
Military Law Exchange Programme to share methods of investigating and
reporting human rights abuses.
This is the second such programme conducted by the US Pacific Command
with legal officers, law enforcement officers, operational commanders,
investigators and academics from the Ministers of Defense and Foreign
Affairs, Attorney General’s Department, Armed Services of Sri Lanka,
Police, National Human Rights Commission, and Kotalawela Defense
University. The three day programme, led by Captain Pete A. Pedrozo,
Staff Advocate Judge with the US Navy, and a four member team at the
Galadari Hotel, was an opportunity to exchange information and ideas on
military justice systems and legal subjects relevant to both the United
States and Sri Lanka. Subjects covered during the programme included
maritime law, coastal state enforcement authority, military justice, the
appellate process, and preventing and investigating human rights
violations.
“An important part of ensuring a future of hope and opportunity and
facilitating a process of national reconciliation is ensuring respect
for human rights.
This is particularly important for the men and women of the armed
services who represent the Government and the people of their country,”
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake said at the programme opening.
“The United States has been a strong advocate for human rights in Sri
Lanka.
I am encouraged by the increasing complexity and practical nature of
the discussions taking place here, which I hope will help the Sri Lankan
military uphold the highest standards of military conduct.”
Major General Mohanthi Peiris, Director General Legal of the Sri
Lanka Army, thanked the US Ambassador and the US Pacific Command for
initiating this law exchange programme, stating, “The armed forces and
police have taken several measures to educate the troops under their
command of their legal and moral obligations to respect, and voluntarily
and consistently comply with, international humanitarian law, and to
protect the human rights of innocent civilians in the course of
performing their duties.”
Major General Peiris also expressed her appreciation for the services
and expertise of Captain Robert Huard, Special Assistant to the Staff
Judge Advocate of US Pacific Command, who has been made available to Sri
Lanka, on the initiative of Ambassador Blake, to assist with proposed
amendments to the Service Acts and Regulations.
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