NHRAP will help consolidate reconciliation, peace-building -
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe
Plantation Industries Minister and Special Envoy on Human Rights of
the President, Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said that the National
Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP) approved by the Cabinet of Ministers
will enable the government to put in place a structured strategic and
prioritized list of measures.
He was of the view that these measures will gradually enhance the
county’s already significant achievements in securing all human rights.
“It will help consolidate the reconciliation and peace building
efforts,” the minister said.
Minister Samarasinghe was delivering the eighth annual Sujata
Jayawardena Memorial Oration on ‘Human Rights: International Challenges
for Sri Lanka’ at the Foundation Institute yesterday.
He said that NHRAP will help consolidate the reconciliation and peace
building efforts. The minister said he was also enthused by the recent
pronouncement of the Defence Ministry Secretary at the inaugural
national reconciliation conference, relating to a census of deaths and
their causes that occurred during the humanitarian operation.
The minister who was involved with the provision of humanitarian
assistance to the conflict affected areas, as Chair on the Consultative
committee on Humanitarian Assistance for over two years during the
conflict, said he knew the level of commitment shown by the government
to care for the civilians caught up in the conflict.
Samarasinghe said that the government was able to evolve a mechanism
that brought together the government at central, district levels, UN and
other relief agencies and the co chairs to the peace process in
collaborative effort to provide humanitarian assistance.
He said that Sri Lanka can share its experience and expertise in the
conduct of military operation against an entrenched resourceful and
ruthless terrorist outfit and the model for provision of humanitarian
assistance to the civilian population in a combat situation is also
worth studying. |
