Task Force to address human rights issues

Rasika Somarathna

The Government has decided to appoint a task force/working group headed by Attorney-General Mohan Peiris PC, to address important human rights related issues and report to the Cabinet on the measures taken to address relevant issues and recommendations for the future.

The task force/working group is to include representatives from key stakeholders such as Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Justice and Law Reforms Ministry, Attorney General's Department and the Police Department.

The decision to appoint a task force/working group has been arrived at by the the Inter Ministerial Committee on Human Rights (IMCHR), chaired by Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, at its 24th meeting held on July 17, 2008. The group is to submit their reports to the Cabinet through Minister Samarasinghe.

A release by the Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry pointed out that the Government had launched several initiatives to implement the voluntary pledges it made, and the recommendations of the working group that it accepted during the UN Human Rights Councils Universal Periodic Review process in May 2008, in keeping with Sri Lanka's international obligations in the sphere of human rights.

It also said the Ministry had been requested by the sub-committee of the Cabinet on "international reaction to the current situation in Sri Lanka" to take early action on certain issues from among the various thematic areas that it is addressing within the scope and ambit of the proposed National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

Foremost among them would be a time - bound Action Plan on torture and disappearances which would supplement the realisation of the Governments stated zero - tolerance policy in relation to alleged violations, the Ministry said.

Also such efforts would help portray an accurate picture of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, especially in the protection of civil and political rights, they added.

Accordingly, the themes and issues to be addressed on a priority basis are, clarification of outstanding cases of alleged disappearances dating from the 1980's to the present, an urgent plan to address alleged instances of torture and abductions/disappearances, Co-ordination with key Government focal points on the alleged cases of extra - judicial executions and collation of information on the action taken, implementation of recommendations made by UN Special Rapporteur Prof.

Manfred Nowak, development of a policy paper on the training of Police Officers in the area of human rights and finalisation of and consultation on the proposed National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.