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UN Special envoy here to help in reconciliation process
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence will arrive in Sri Lanka today for a six-day visit aimed at helping in the reconciliation process.
Special Rapporteur Pablo de Greiff will meet Government leaders, representatives of political parties and members of civil society organisations during his stay.
Mr. De Greiff is the first UN Special rapporteur to visit the country since the new Government took office in January this year and is coming on the invitation of the Sri Lanka Government.
“He is here on an exploratory visit and for consultations,” a Foreign Ministry official said.
The Government had initiated a dialogue with the Government of South Africa to learn more about its experience in the truth and reconciliation process and this visit was a further step in this direction, the official said.
Mr. de Greiff, who was appointed Special Rapporteur in 2012, has provided advice to several governments, non-governmental organisations, particularly victims’ organisations, truth commissions and multilateral institutions in the area of transitional justice, gender issues and the linkages between justice, security and development.
Meanwhile, the Government has also invited the UN Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and the UN Working Group on Involuntary and Enforced Disappearances to visit Sri Lanka.