November 22, 2024 8:00 pm
Results: 45
Lionel Fernando resigns from HRCSL
Lionel Fernando has resigned from the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) due to personal reasons, a source said. MORE...
SL is pleased to join as co-sponsor of the resolution: Ambassador Ravinatha
We see the resolution on the island nation as a measure of encouraging and inspiring the government of Sri Lanka, delivering his remarks during the general debate on the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha said. MORE...
Sri Lanka can finally break cycle of impunity: Zeid
Introducing the debate on the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) at the UNHRC’s 30th session on Wednesday, the High Commissioner, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, asserted that since January 2015 space has significantly opened up for freedom of expression, at least in Colombo. MORE...
Sri Lanka trying to water down UNHRC resolution: HRW
Sri Lanka should not be allowed to water down a UNHRC resolution on its alleged rights violations during its civil war with the LTTE, according to a prominent rights group which said that the current draft was “counterproductive” to the reconciliation efforts of the government. MORE..
Resolution on Sri Lanka tabled at UN Human Rights Council
A resolution calling for a “credible justice process” with “Commonwealth and other foreign judges” in order to prosecute for mass atrocities committed during the final stages of the island’s armed conflict has been tabled at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. MORE...
Sri Lanka’s domestic mechanism to be finalised by January
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera says that the setting up of a four-tier domestic mechanism to investigate allegations of human rights violations will be finalised by January 2016 and implemented within 18 months. MORE..
UN members should back hybrid court in Sri Lanka - HRW
The call by the United Nations’ top human rights officer for a domestic-international hybrid court to address allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka should receive strong endorsement by members of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Human Rights Watch said today. MORE..
TNA wants UN probe recommendations in next resolution
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today said that it welcomes the report of the investigation conducted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OISL) and its recommendations. MORE..
Full Report of OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka
The long-anticipated report of the United Nations investigation into allegations of human rights violations during the war in Sri Lanka was released a short while ago. Click for Full Report..
TN assembly for international probe on Sri Lanka
A day after India and Sri Lanka decided to renew efforts to address the vexed ethnic issue in the island nation, Tamil Nadu today stepped up pressure on the Modi government for an international probe against alleged human rights violations and war crimes committed in 2009 in Northern Sri Lanka. MORE..
Zeid urges creation of hybrid special court in Sri Lanka
A UN report published today has identified patterns of grave violations in Sri Lanka between 2002 and 2011, strongly indicating that war crimes and crimes against humanity were most likely committed by both sides to the conflict. MORE..
UN report contains legal analysis and recommendations
UN report on Sri Lanka will focus on human rights violations from 2002 to 2011, and it will contain legal analysis and recommendations, it was reported. MORE...
Tamils reject govt’s wartime truth commission, demand international inquiry?
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Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils has rejected government plans for a truth commission to promote reconciliation after decades of ethnic war, insisting on an international inquiry, the AFP news agency reported. MORE...
Government holds a double standard: Gammanpila
The government holds a double standard in dealing with the international community and the public with respect to the probe on alleged war crimes investigation, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Udaya Gammanpila says. MORE...
New constitution, amendments to penal code; steps to create a new Sri Lanka: Mangala
“The best guarantee for non-recurrence is of course a political settlement that addresses the grievances of the Tamil people. We hope that we can achieve this through the adoption of a new Constitution,” Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. MORE...
Mangala holds talks with UN rights chief
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakse have held discussions with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. MORE...
UN probe report handed over to govt
The UN probe report on alleged war crimes committed during the final phase of Sri Lankan military’s battle against the LTTE has been handed over to the government. MORE..
EU ready to partner with Sri Lanka to face challenges
The European Union (EU) today stressed that it truly remains committed to supporting a healthy democracy and looks forward to partnering with the Sri Lankan government to address some of the “challenges” it faces. MORE..
HRW asks Sri Lanka to ‘protect’ voters and ensure safe elections
Sri Lankan authorities must ensure that voters can travel safely and securely to polling booths and back during the parliamentary elections on Monday, Human Rights Watch said on Saturday after reports of campaign anomalies. MORE..
UN awaits report on Sri Lanka to decide on international probe
The United Nations says that it’s exploring provision of a broad package of technical and financial assistance to Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, at the request of Chief Minister C.V Wigneswaran. MORE..
Sri Lanka human rights improved under Sirisena: UK
The human rights situation in Sri Lanka has “improved” since Maithripala Sirisena took over presidency from Mahinda Rajapaksa, a UK government report has said. MORE..
Rights groups urge UNHRC to maintain fullest scrutiny of Sri Lanka
Several international human rights groups have urged the international community and the UN Human Rights Council to maintain the fullest scrutiny of Sri Lanka on questions of justice and accountability. MORE..
US report highlights Sri Lankan human rights problems in 2014
There were reports that the Sri Lankan government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings in 2014, the U.S. State Department said in an annual report on Thursday. MORE..
Sri Lanka to treat migrants as ‘victims’ of smugglers
The Government is taking action against human traffickers under due processes while treating migrants as victims of smugglers, Sri Lanka’s envoy to the United Nations Ravinatha Aryasinha said. MORE..
Zeid wants credible mechanisms in place before September session
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will remain very engaged in discussions with the Sri Lankan authorities on the need for transparent and inclusive processes to develop credible mechanisms for accountability and reconciliation. MORE...
New army chief a blow to justice, says HRW
Sri Lanka‘s promotion of a senior officer whose division was implicated in serious human rights abuses casts doubt on government pledges to credibly investigate alleged war crimes, Human Rights Watch said today (17). MORE...
TULF wants Bill of Rights introduced with 19A
Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), V. Anandasangaree, today called for the adoption the Bill of Rights alongside the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. MORE..
We will continue to push for independent probe - Ed Miliband
British Prime Ministerial hopeful Ed Miliband says that the Labour Party will continue to push for a full and independent, international investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. MORE..
US diplomat discusses human rights and accountability with Sri Lanka
A senior American diplomat has held discussion with Sri Lankan government officials on human rights and strengthening democracy, transparency, and accountability during his recent visit to the island nation. MORE..
Power must be distributed – President
President Maithripala Sirisena says that he plans to announce details of a domestic probe into allegations of human rights violation during Sri Lanka’s long civil war by the end of June, just as the country heads into early general elections. MORE..
New gov’t satisfied with progress achieved
The new Sri Lankan government said on Tuesday that it is happy with the progress achieved so far since it came to power following the Jan. 8 presidential elections. MORE...
Pablo de Greiff to visit Sri Lanka today
UN Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparations, and Guarantees of Non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff, will arrive in Sri Lanka for a six-day visit, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Sunday (29). MORE...
Sirisena Govt. has inherited a ‘financial mess’ - US
The US government said on Tuesday that it was exploring the possibility of increasing its assistance to the Sri Lankan government to help it tackle issues like governance, accountability, commerce and “much more”. MORE...
UN rights chief urges Sri Lanka not to repeat ‘failures of the past’
The United Nations’ top human rights official today urged the Sri Lankan Government to consult “deeply” with the people, particularly victims of the war, in order to design mechanisms that will work and not repeat the failures of the past. MORE..
Bob Last backs Zeid’s decision on Sri Lanka
In his latest BLOG, Senior Human Rights Advisor to UK Mission Human Rights Team in Geneva, Bob Last, says that it seems right to give the new Government a bit more time on human rights report as he sees signs of positive commitment, but there is much to do to achieve reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka.
UPDATE: Mangala slams ex-government’s policy
“With the previous government choosing to operate with a sense of impunity, opportunities for reconciliation and restoration of human rights suffered,” Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. The observation was made at the 28th Regular Session of Human Rights Council in Geneva, this afternoon. MORE...
Jeffrey Feltman to visit Sri Lanka this week
One week after the UN Human Rights Council agreed to withhold the already delayed report on war crimes in Sri Lanka, the UN announced that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s highest political official Jeffrey Feltman will visit the country this week. MORE...
TNA slams delay in UN rights report
Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party has expressed dismay over the UN’s decision to delay a report on the human rights situation in the country describing it as “justice delayed is justice denied”. MORE...
Sri Lanka to discuss domestic probe with UN
Sri Lanka’s government will next month look to win United Nations backing for a domestic probe into allegations of human rights violations during the final stage of the war, an official said today. MORE..
U.N. rights chief backs delay for Sri Lanka war crimes report
Sri Lanka’s bid to postpone publication of a UnitedNations report into alleged war crimes has won the backing of U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Monday. MORE...
President assures domestic mechanism to probe alleged rights violations
President Maithripala Sirisena assured the diplomatic community that his government will not hesitate to punish the offenders of human rights violations said to have taken place during the war after the conduct of a credible domestic inquiry through a judicial process into the allegations. MORE...
Rights group says SL workers abused at Abu Dhabi worksites
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday accused an Abu Dhabi company building local branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums of mistreating its migrant workers from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, despite some improvements five years after the group first raised concerns. MORE...
Northern PC adopts another resolution: calls for international investigation
The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) today unanimously passed a resolution and called for an international investigation into alleged ‘genocide’ against the Tamils community. MORE...
US Assistant Secretary to arrive in Sri Lanka
The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on an official tour. She will arrive in the island on Sunday (February 01). MORE...
The Sri Lankan government stepped up pressure in 2014 on human rights activists and journalists, particularly those urging justice for past war crimes, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2015 released today. MORE...