SL’s progress on Human Rights now accessible

Resettlement and rehabilitation process outlined:

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Review report that outlines the country’s latest progress on the Human Rights front becomes a UN document from today, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama yesterday said. The report was officially handed over to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva yesterday.

“Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Report will be an official UN document. It could be accessed by any nation wishing to know the work carried out by Sri Lanka to improve its Human Rights conditions,” he said.

Asked if the government’s National Action Plan on LLRC recommendations had any place in the UPR report that was sent to the UN Human Rights Council, Amunugama said they have included a link in a web page to find information about the LLRC Action Plan.

“It has not been presented as an official document to the UN,” he said.

“The LLRC Action Plan is an internal document of the government. Therefore it was not submitted as an official UN document,” he added. External Affairs Ministry sources said Sri Lanka will participate in UPR sessions in Geneva with confidence in a background where Sri Lanka has fulfilled most of its voluntary pledges to the Council.

“One of the most important pledges was to prepare a National Plan of Action for the promotion and protection of Human Rights.

We have done it have implemented it,” External Affairs Ministry sopurces said. Sri Lanka’s UPR report will outline Sri Lanka’s resettlement and rehabilitation process , how the country has ensured that all its children get education among other things, sources said.

Sri Lanka’s report will be adopted on November 5 in Geneva .Plantation Industries Minister and the Special Envoy of the President on Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe will participate in the sessions.

India, Benin and Spain will be the troika to review Sri Lanka at the sessions.Many non-stake holders have also made submissions to the review among them are European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), Janasansadaya and Citizen’ Committee, Asian Human Rights Commission and the Rule of Law Forum and FMM, INFORM and NfR.