IMADR | The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism

Accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka (HRC43, 2020, Joint-OS)

February 28, 2020

IMADR delivered the joint oral statement on “Accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka” at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here.

Co-sponsors of the statement are: Amnesty International; Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA); CIVICUS; Franciscans International; Human Rights Watch; IMADR; International Service for Human Rights (ISHR); and Minority Rights Group International

———

Joint Oral Statement: 43rd session of the Human Rights Council

Item 2: General Debate on reports and oral updates of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

28 February 2020

Madam President,

We are deeply concerned by indicators of a significant backsliding on human rights in Sri Lanka, underscored by the government using their address to the Council this week to go back on the important commitments made by Sri Lanka through HRC resolution 30/1.

Sri Lankan authorities’ indication to revoke the 19th amendment to the Constitution would remove check and balances on the executive and seriously jeopardise the independence of the judiciary and relevant commissions. The Government is reportedly considering reviewing the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) Act. Similarly, the President’s recent callous comments about the fate of thousands of missing persons without any conclusion of investigations in line with international law have added to the distress of families of the disappeared. A Gazette on 22nd January granted powers to a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to scrutinise investigations into emblematic cases. The COI has attempted to halt criminal proceedings against navy officers accused of the disappearance and killing of eleven youth. We echo the High Commissioner’s concern[1] on the promotion of several military officers who are named in the OISL report for violations of international law.

Since November 2019, the Ministry of Defence has been assigned as the oversight body for NGOs, significantly increasing the risk of their surveillance. More than a dozen human rights and media organisations have received intimidating visits from law enforcement and intelligence agencies,[2] while death threats[3] against journalists have resumed. The climate of fear has returned to Sri Lanka, in particular among those who continue to call for truth, justice and accountability. Relentless campaigns against minorities also require immediate attention.

We urge this Council to hold Sri Lanka accountable to its obligations under international law. Given this week’s announcement that the new Government will not continue to engage with the clear framework agreed through resolution 30/1; the failure of past domestic reconciliation and accountability mechanisms; and the ongoing compromise of the rule of law as pointed out by the High Commissioner yesterday, we call on the Council to establish an international accountability mechanism on Sri Lanka.

Thank you, Madam President.

[1] A/HRC/43/19, paragraph 34

[2] Amnesty International, Sri Lanka: Attacks on Human Rights Organisations, Media Organisations and Journalists In Sri Lanka, 2020, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa37/1678/2020/en/

[3] Colombo Gazette, Batticaloa Tamil journalists receive death threats, 2020, http://colombogazette.com/2020/01/24/batticaloa-tamil-journalists-receive-death-threats-2/

Share on:

Related Content

Recap on a Post-CEDAW Event

On 25 January, the Forum of Minority Women* organised an event in Osaka to reflect on and share insights from the recent review of the 9th periodic report of Japan by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). A total of 120 people participated, both in person and online. ◾︎ CEDAW and Women from Marginalised Communities in Japan ◾︎ Firstly, how women from marginalised communities have made their presence and situation visible through their involvement in CEDAW was shared. In 1985, Japan ratified Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. In 2003 (the consideration of the fourth and fifth periodic reports), for the […]
January 31, 2025

Intersectional Feminism－ The Interview Series

Although the word, gender equality, is heard more frequently than ever, true gender equality will be realised solely when it is for ‘ALL’ women because women cannot be summed up to one as people have multiple identities. It is minority women whose voices are more silenced and whose rights are more restricted.. Yet, ‘minority women’ are not reducible to one too. Within the ‘minority women’, there is diversity and difference. In the interview series “Intersectional Feminism”, we have a conversation with activists of minority women about their experiences, activities, awareness, and so forth. This series features voices of women of minority groups to comprehend the extent of inequalities, how their […]
March 29, 2024
Imadr Logo

Sri Lanka: Joint NGO Statement in Solidarity with Sri Lankan Human Rights Defender Ambika Satkunanathan

14 February 2022 JOINT NGO STATEMENT IN SOLIDARITY WITH SRI LANKAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER AMBIKA SATKUNANATHAN We the undersigned human rights organizations, express our deep concern about the statement issued by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry on February 4, 2022, in which the government denounced testimony given by Ambika Satkunanathan, a leading human rights lawyer, to the European Parliament on January 27. The government statement clearly constitutes an act of harassment and intimidation. We condemn the Sri Lankan government’s tactics to intimidate human rights defenders, and express our full solidarity with Ms. Satkunanathan, a well-known, respected and courageous human rights defender. Targeting her for providing accurate testimony about the human […]
February 16, 2022
Imadr Logo

Joint NGO Letter: Protect Marginalized Groups in South Korea

IMADR joined the call of international NGOs and coalitions to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to immediately adopt a comprehensive antidiscrimination law that prohibits discrimination based on gender, disability, medical history, age, origin, ethnicity, race, skin color, physical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Letter in English and Korean ——— December 20, 2021 National Assembly of the Republic of Korea 1 Uisadang-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 07233 Republic of Korea   Re: Protect marginalized groups in South Korea Dear members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and other members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea:   On behalf of the 30 signatory […]
December 20, 2021
VIEW ALL NEWS
TOP