(UTV|COLOMBO) – Sri Lanka on Wednesday (21) assured the United Nations and the international community that it will implement all transitional justice mechanisms in accordance with the country’s Constitution.
Leading the Sri Lankan delegation to the UN Human Rights Council’s 37 session in Geneva on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana said Sri Lanka does not consider the reconciliation process in the country as a “box-ticking exercise” and the judiciary and law enforcement mechanisms are fully capable and committed to the processes of advancing justice to all concerned.
“We are deeply committed to uphold the rule of law and to ensure the equal protection of the law to all individuals without discrimination as guaranteed under the Constitution of Sri Lanka,” he said in response to the written update presented by the UNHRC deputy High Commissioner Kate Gilmore to the Council on the progress in implementing the recommendations of the consensus resolution promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.
Highlighting the most important achievements since Sri Lanka last addressed the Council at the 34th Session on 28th February 2017, Sri Lanka’s envoy said much progress has been made throughout the course of last year as well as previously, demonstrating Sri Lanka’s firm commitment, willingness and ability to advancing truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence of conflict.
Formally operationalizing the Permanent Office on Missing Persons (OMP), releasing over70 percent of private land held by military to civilians, operationalizing Right to Information Act, establishment of an Office for Reparations, passing legislation to give effect to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and acceding to the Ottawa and Oslo Conventions were among the achievements highlighted by the Minister.
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