Highest confidence in HRCSL to expedite HR screening process of troops : SLA

The Sri Lanka Army said today (March 27) that it has the highest confidence in the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) to do its utmost to expedite the human right  clearance screening process of its troops for UN Peacekeeping missions.

The Sri Lanka Army issuing a clarification on the deploying of troops in UN Peacekeeping Missions and obtaining of Human Rights Clearance from the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) said further clarifications on the matter should be directly directed to the Commander of the Army or the Directorate of Media, Sri Lanka Army for accurate and current information.

The statement said information from unauthorised persons were being resorted to which could hinder the Sri Lanka Army in UN peacekeeping missions.

The statement further said that having the HRCSL carry out the domestic screening process was a matter of pride. It added that however the task was not an easy one as thousands of applications have to be scrutiinised as all three services and Police are engaged in peacekeeping missions. This is aside from its other functions that it has to perform according to its prime manadate.

The statement comes against the backdrop of recent criticism levelled against it. In February President Sirisena claimed that the HRCSL was delaying Sri Lanka’s police and armed forces from taking part in UN peacekeeping missions.

At present troops of Sri Lanka Army are deployed in 6 UN Missions and working as Staff Officers in the UN Headquarters - New York. There are more than 400 troops deployed as memebers of three contingents in lebanon, South Sudan and Mali and 35 officers serving as Staff Officers and Military Observers in a number of UN Missions and also in the UN headquarters in New York.