UN Human Rights chief says Colombo should move faster on reconciliation

The next couple of months are going to be important for Sri Lanka as the government embarks on national consultations for the design of a “comprehensive transitional justice process” to implement “fully” the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted in October on accountability and reconciliation, according to Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Making a statement at the 31st session of the UNHRC in Geneva on Thursday, Mr. Hussein said: “It will be very important that this takes place in an environment free of surveillance and intimidation.”

The U.N. High Commissioner will present an oral update to the Human Rights Council at the 32nd session in June and a comprehensive report in March 2017.

“If past human rights violations are not adequately addressed, grievances and other issues at the root of the past conflicts will continue to fester, and may even lead to their recurrence,” he said. In Sri Lanka, “powerful symbolic gestures” of reconciliation had been made — like allowing the singing of national anthem in Tamil — “although other steps, such as the release of land held by the military, reviewing the cases of security detainees, and resolving the issue of disappearances, need to move forward faster”.

He also mentioned that “important steps” had been taken to reform the Constitution, revive independent institutions, and restore “an environment for free expression and debate”. (The Hindu)