UN Rights Council Addresses Sri Lanka's Human Rights Record

At the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, delivered a statement on behalf of the Sri Lanka Core Group. The statement addressed the ongoing human rights situation in Sri Lanka, raising concerns and calling for accountability.

Accountability and Transitional Justice

The statement highlighted the importance of ensuring accountability for past human rights violations and progress on transitional justice mechanisms. It noted that the Core Group remains deeply concerned about the lack of progress on establishing credible judicial mechanisms to address these issues.

{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}} The Core Group called on the Sri Lankan government to fully implement the commitments made in UN Human Rights Council resolutions, including to establish a judicial mechanism with a special counsel, and to make meaningful progress on other transitional justice measures.

The statement also emphasized the need for the government to address impunity and ensure that those responsible for human rights abuses are held accountable.

Reconciliation and Minority Rights

The Core Group expressed concerns about the lack of progress on reconciliation between Sri Lanka's ethnic and religious communities, as well as the continued marginalization of minority groups, particularly the Tamil and Muslim communities.

{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}} The statement urged the Sri Lankan government to take concrete steps to address these issues, including by protecting the rights of minorities, upholding the rule of law, and promoting inclusive governance and social cohesion.

Security Sector Reform and Human Rights

The Core Group also raised concerns about human rights violations by security forces, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances. The statement called on the Sri Lankan government to undertake comprehensive security sector reform to address these issues and ensure that the security forces respect and protect human rights.

{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}} The Core Group emphasized the importance of the Sri Lankan government working closely with the UN and other international partners to address these human rights challenges and to fulfill its commitments under UN Human Rights Council resolutions.