Cabinet approval for H/R Action Plan

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Cabinet approval has been granted to implement the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP). This is in keeping with the Sri Lankan government's pledge given in the course of its participation at the Universal Periodic Review meeting at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2008, Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday Minister Rambukwella said that the government considers it important to implement the NHRAP to enable our successful engagement with several international human rights organizations, especially the UNHRC. According to Minister Rambukwella, on a proposal made by Plantation Industries Minister and Special Envoy of the President on Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe, it was decided to convene an inter-ministerial committee under his chairmanship and further to undertake initial work for Sri Lanka's participation in the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review in October 2012. Minister Rambukwella pointed out that Sri Lanka will make the country's position clearer than before during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) meeting to be held March next year. Sri Lanka will not let the country be isolated. The domestic human rights records of all 192 UN Member States are reviewed every four years. Forty eight countries were reviewed each year, starting in 2008, with 16 reviews taking place thrice a year at the UPR Working Group sessions.