Promotion, protection of Human Rights National:

Action Plan mooted

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Government is set to finalise a time bound National Action Plan for the promotion and protection of human rights.

A Cabinet sub-committee was appointed under a Presidential directive to look into the matter, Plantations Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said during a media briefing to announce Cabinet decisions yesterday in which Media and Mass Communications Minister Keheliya Rambukwella also took part.

Minister Samarasinghe who was in charge of human rights in the earlier Cabinet told the media that the National Action Plan was prepared in accordance with a voluntary pledge made by Sri Lanka to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Minister Samarasinghe noted that the pledge in this regard had been made to the UN during the height of the conflict.

"We planned for post-conflict challenges in addressing genuine grievances of the people and prepared accordingly," he added.

According to the Minister Sri Lanka had made a voluntary proposal in this regard to the UNHRC during his tenure as the Minister in charge of Human Rights.

"When I came back to the country we appointed several committees and initiated discussions. Civil Society leaders were appointed as the heads of these Committees".

"After comprehensive consultations among all stakeholders the first draft was prepared after one and a half years. When preparing the draft we used examples from similar best practices in other countries," he added.

The Minister noted that a committee headed by the Attorney General later had been appointed to identify clauses which could be applied practically.

The sub-committee appointed is tasked with fine tuning of the prepared proposals to come out with a feasible time bound National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.