UPR

The United States welcomes the delegation from Sri Lanka. We welcome the Government’s decision to accept our recommendations on full implementation of HRC resolution 30/1 and on accountability for the government’s, including the security forces, human rights violations and abuses, as well as accountability for those responsible for harassment and violence against members of religious […]

The government says it will make all preparations to ensure there is further progress on the human rights front ahead of the next Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka at the UN in Geneva in 2017.President Mahinda Rajapaksa;s human rights envoy, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said this after meeting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights […]

Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe U.S. Statement at the Adoption of the UPR Report on Sri LankaMarch 15, 2013The United States welcomes the return of the delegation of Sri Lanka to the Council and appreciates the opportunity to comment on their response to the UPR review.We welcome the Government’s statement of its intention to accept recommendations […]

Government of India told UNHRC that it hopes early progress towards reconciliation, reduction of high security zones, return of private land by the military and phasing out of the security forces in civilian activities in the Northern province, will be done in effective and timely manner. India also hopes that investigation of  allegations of Human […]

Pooja Patel: appalled at the Sri Lankan delegation’s claim that the military offers “no intrusive presence impacting on civilian life” in the north Friday, 15 March 2013 Thank you, Mr. President. FORUM-ASIA makes this statement in association with its member organisations in Sri Lanka, Law and Society Trust (LST) and INFORM-Human Rights Documentation Centre.  We […]

Nimalka Fernanda: We are talking about men, women and children whose lives are at risk or in danger. Thank you Mr. President,  This is a joint statement made by IMADR, Lawyers Rights Watch Canada and Pasumathai India. We appreciate the new mechanism of UPR. Nevertheless the negotiation process has given rise to reducing the impact […]

Dr. Manoharan at UNHRC; Where is justice for my son Mr PresidentMy name is Dr. Kasippillai Manoharan. On 2 January 2006, Sri Lankan soldiers brutally murdered my beloved son Ragihar on a beach in Trincomalee. My family and I were forced to flee Sri Lanka because we sought justice for his killing. Today, 7 long […]

On 15th March 2013 UN human rights council will discuss and approve the Universal Periodic Review Sri Lanka  report 2012. The UPR session on Sri Lanka was held on November 2012. What follows is the report presented by Sri Lanka in March 2013 explaining the reasons for not accepting some recommendations and its voluntary commitments. […]

B. SkanthakumarThe Sri Lankan government rejected almost half of the recommendations received in Geneva from other UN member states during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of its human rights obligations on 1 November 2012. Among the recommendations not acceptable to the government are[1]: right to information legislation; country visit by the UN independent expert on […]

Minister Samarasinhghe – no HR ministry The Universal Periodic Review has come, and gone, and as usual there seems to be general satisfaction in Sri Lanka as to how it went. I have no doubt that the generally excellent team sent from Sri Lanka performed well, and gave sensible answers to the questions raised. What […]

There were prolonged procedural discussions around the report before it was adopted. The delegation of Sri Lankan had introduced endnotes, found on the last two pages of the report, that were hitherto unprecedented. In the end it was decided that the endnotes would be removed from the report, but would be included in an addendum […]

Dr. Manoharan showing the 6 years of impunity at Palace Des Nations , Geneva * Activists denounce impunity for crimes in long civil war* Seek justice for murders of 17 aid workers, 5 students* Sri Lanka rejects calls for accountability at U.N. GENEVA, Nov 5 (Reuters) – Leading human rights groups called on Monday for […]

Geneva- In a bizarre move India has agreed to drop major part of recommendations it made to Sri Lanka at the 14th session of UPR held on 1st Nov 2012. The recommendations made by India on implementation of 13th amendment of  the constitution, Demilitarisation of Northern Province, Elections to the Northern Provincial Council and land […]

Human Rights CouncilWorking Group on the Universal Periodic ReviewFourteenth sessionDuring the interactive dialogue held on 1st Nov 2012 , 98 delegations made statements including  Recommendations  129.    The recommendations below did not enjoy the support of Sri Lanka:Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)    129.1    Examine the possibility of ratifying OP-CAT and the Rome Statute […]

The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fourteenth session from 22 October to 5 November 2012. The review of Sri Lanka was held at the 16thmeeting on 1 November 2012. The delegation of Sri Lanka was headed by […]

Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 21.    During the interactive dialogue, 98 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 22.    Thailand recognised Sri Lankan efforts to address alleged human rights violations, especially enforced disappearance and its establishment of an inter-ministerial […]

Thursday, 1 November 2012 (afternoon) State under review Sri LankaRepresented by a 15-member delegation headed by Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries, and Special envoy of the President on Human Rights Documents To access national report, compilation of UN information, and summary of stakeholders’ information, visit the Sri Lanka page of the UPR website […]

By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, Nov 1 (Reuters) – Western countries kept up pressure on Sri Lanka on Thursday to prosecute killings of civilians and other crimes committed in its 30-year civil war and to investigate continuing grave violations. Britain and the United States said that accountability must be established for serious breaches in the conflict […]

Sri Lanka’s promises on human rights should no longer be accepted by the international community. Sri Lanka’s promises on human rights should no longer be accepted by the international community.© Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images Sri Lanka’s promises on human rights should no longer be accepted by the international community, Amnesty International said as the UN Universal […]

by Minister Samarasinghe The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Sri Lanka took place this afternoon at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, amidst Member States and Observers of the Human Rights Council. The country’s opening Statement was delivered to the Council by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries, Special Envoy of the President on […]

The United States while noting steps taken by the government of Sri Lanka to resettle IDPs, foster economic growth, and develop a National Action Plan for implementing a number of recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) called for the strengthening of judicial independence by ending government interference with the judicial process, protecting […]

Out of a total of 99 countries that will speak on Sri Lanka’s progress on human rights development at the United Nations Human Rights Commission’s Universal Periodic Review(UPR) sessions, more than 90 countries will speak positively on the county’s HR performance and achievements, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama said yesterday. He said Sri Lanka […]

An open appeal to the UN HRC in connection with the Universal Periodic Review in November, 2012  on Sri Lanka urging  it  to  prevail  upon Sri Lanka to stop the dismantling  the devolution of powers that have been conferred on the Provincial Councils by the provisions of the  13th Amendment to the Constitution. NfR Sri […]

Dr. Chaloka Beyani, UN Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced Persons   By Matthew Russell LeeUNITED NATIONS,  The strange treatment of Sri Lanka at and by the UN was on display on Wednesday in New York.  The UN’s Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced Persons Mr. Chaloka Beyani gave a press conference. He was immediately asked by […]

Sri Lanka is ready to answer any question that will be raised at the forthcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council by any local or foreign non-governmental organisation, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amumugama said. Asked about the secret submissions to the UPR against the government by the UK headquartered […]

war widows The War widows in Sri Lanka Dr. Jehan Perera  The government has done a considerable amount of background work in preparation for the forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In dealing with the Universal Periodic Review, which is a four year report on a country’s human rights performance,government is […]