Promising legal reforms to the United Nations, senior legal advisor to Sri Lanka cabinet, Mohan Pieris told the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT) that Sri Lanka is resorted to the option that promotes reconciliation.
“The government deliberately and consciously shows the route of restorative justice providing option to get punished or rehabilitated” Mr.Pieris said.
The 47th Session of the CAT met in Geneva on Tuesday with the Sri Lankan Delegation where Sri Lanka’s commitment to upholding rights was severely questioned.
According to the senior legal advisor Mr.Perirs that there are only 689 detainees left in rehabilitation camps out of 11000 combatants detained after the war.
Several committee members accused the Sri Lankan government of not providing detailed information requested in advance.
No tolerance for torture
Responding to questions of the committee, Mr. Pieris said that Sri Lanka agrees “110 percent” that there must be no tolerance for torture.
The UN Working Group on Disappearances has identified Sri Lanka as having the second largest most number of disappearance cases in the world.
Responding the claim Mr. Mohan Peiris said that the data gathered by working group comprised the data from 1980.
“These numbers include the disappearances from two insurrections” he added.
Mohan Peiris said that a legal frame work for a national action plan, detection and post investigation, prevention and aspects of institutional torture, addressing impunity, special protection for women and children, rehabilitation and reparation, convention against torture and making declaration under article 121 & 122 are the focus areas of Sri Lanka.
He said that Sri Lanka is committed to upholding the rule of law.
BBC Sinhala