Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States Prasad Kariyawasam says that the island now takes a lead in human rights issues and is following a path of not only on reconciliation but also human rights and humanitarian promotion both locally and internationally.
He stated that Sri Lanka has moved forward very well after 30 years of conflict. “Within one year we have undone a lot. If you look at the set of achievements Sri Lanka has done, it’s monumental,” he said in an interview with CCTV America.
Giving an example, he said that Sri Lanka recently ratified the Convention against Enforced Disappearances, something which many Western countries including even the US have not done.
“We are one of the very few countries in the world who has ratified all the core human rights conventions now. So we have taken a paradigm shift with regard to that,” he said.
“We take a lead in human rights issues now. We are on a path not only on reconciliation. A path of human rights, a path of humanitarian promotion both locally and internationally.”
Kariyawasam said that Sri Lanka has until next March to come up with its own achievement report to the UN Human Rights Council. “We think we have done well. We have not missed a single step that we have promised in the resolution.”
With regard to the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms called for in the resolution, he said that Sri Lanka has already established the Missing Persons’ Office and that the government is currently working with the UN on the remaining mechanisms.
“We have invited all the Special Rapporteurs of the UN involved in issues that are relevant to Sri Lanka to work with us. So there are already international experts working with Sri Lanka,” he said.
“We have now finished the Missing Persons Office. We have to then look at the truth seeking mechanism, we’ll have to look at the justice mechanism. Those consultations are taking place under a task force for consultation comprising of civil society leaders.”
In addition to that we have also commenced a web-based consultative process for the international community, anyone to give us ideas. We will then go into that at some point, he said.
Responding to a question regarding an international mechanism, the Ambassador said that the Sri Lankan government is open to having a domestic investigative mechanism with international support. “That is what we promised to the UN and that is what we are going to do.”
Asked whether this “international support” will include foreign judges, prosecutors and investigators he said: “That will be decided once the consultative process is over. At the moment we are doing consultations as to what’s the best mechanism.”
However, he reiterated that it will be a domestic mechanism and not an international mechanism. “A domestic mechanism strengthened by the participation of international experts.”
He rejected allegations that the process has currently been stalled.
Asked whether people responsible for committing human rights violations will be brought to justice, he said that it is the intention of the government because it will have truth seeking mechanisms first and it will give room to assess how to craft the justice mechanism in a manner that anyone accused of wrong doing has to face justice.
