Britain on Thursday raised concerns over Sri Lanka’s human rights record during 2015, days after the US detailed several reported violations from the Tamil-dominated North-East.

“Sri Lanka is one of 30 ‘Human Rights Priority Countries’ (HRPCs); countries where the UK has serious human rights concerns and hopes to engage positively to develop human rights performance,” said a British Foreign office report.

The report commends improvement in the human rights situation in Sri Lanka during 2015, while also noting that some concerns still remain. It recognises the positive steps taken by Lanka during 2015 to improve freedom of expression and freedom of movement, reduce inter-community tensions, and restore the independence of institutions such as the Human Rights Commission.

It also notes the government’s willingness while stating positive changes are less apparent in the north and east. Human rights defenders continued to report harassment and surveillance in 2015 and incidents of torture, and sexual and gender-based violence.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged 6.6 million pounds over the next three years to continue support for reconciliation and human rights. Sri Lanka was ranked alongside Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burma, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Libya, Maldives among UK’s 30 human rights priority countries.

The US State Department’s 2015 Sri Lankan Human Rights report details several reported violations from the Tamil-dominated North-East. “The major human rights problems reported during the year included harassment of civil society activists, journalists, and persons viewed as sympathisers of the banned terrorist group the LTTE as well as arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence committed by police and security forces,” it said.

Source: PTI

-Agencies