The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma arrived in the island today (9) ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo.

Sharma and a delegation from the Commonwealth Secretariat arrived at the Katunayake International Airport at around 12.32pm in a British Airways flight.

He is expected to attend the Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) which will be held for five days from Nov. 10-14 in the southern port city of Hambantota.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is to be held from November 15-17 at the BMICH and Waters Edge in Colombo.

The Secretariat has come under harsh criticism from international human rights groups, the media, and some member-countries who accuse it of sweeping human rights concerns under the carpet in respect of Sri Lanka, which is to become chair of the Commonwealth for the next two years.

However, speaking to The Hindu at the Secretariat headquarters at Marlborough House before his departure to Colombo, Sharma said that the Commonwealth Secretariat will assist Sri Lanka in setting up a National Inquiry on Torture.

He said the Commonwealth Secretariat had in fact initiated the process that would bring the issue of torture and national reconciliation under Commonwealth scrutiny and compliance. “We are also putting in place a scheme… that will assist Sri Lanka progress towards national reconciliation,” Mr. Sharma said.