Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka
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A/HRC/34/20 Advance edited version Distr.: General 10 February 2017 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirty-fourth session 27 February-24 March 2017 Agenda item 2 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka Summary The present report assesses the progress made in the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 30/1, on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka between October 2015 and January 2017. On that basis, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights identifies efforts that need to be taken to achieve progress in the reconciliation and accountability agenda to which the Government of Sri Lanka has committed. The High Commissioner also advocates for the Government to continue meaningful consultations with relevant stakeholders on transitional justice and the reform agenda, and urges the Council to sustain its close engagement and monitoring of developments in Sri Lanka. A/HRC/34/20 Contents Page I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 II. Engagement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations human rights mechanisms .................................................................. 3 III. Developments in reconciliation and accountability ....................................................................... 4 A. Transitional justice ................................................................................................................ 4 B. Reconciliation ....................................................................................................................... 7 C. Emblematic cases .................................................................................................................. 8 IV. Preconditions for transitional justice and confidence-building measures ..................................... 10 V. Other human rights issues ............................................................................................................. 12 VI. Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................................... 14 A. Government of Sri Lanka ..................................................................................................... 15 B. United Nations system .......................................................................................................... 17 C. Member States ...................................................................................................................... 17 2 A/HRC/34/20 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to Council resolution 30/1 on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka. It should be read in conjunction with the oral update of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Council of 29 June 2016 (A/HRC/32/CRP.4), the comprehensive report of the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) on Sri Lanka (A/HRC/30/61) and the detailed findings of the OHCHR investigation (A/HRC/30/CRP.2).1 2. In its resolution 30/1, the Human Rights Council took note with appreciation of the report on Sri Lanka of the High Commissioner and the findings and conclusions of the OHCHR investigation. The Council requested OHCHR to continue to assess progress in the implementation of its recommendations and other relevant processes related to reconciliation, accountability and human rights, and to present an oral update to the Council at its thirty-second session and a comprehensive report at its thirty-fourth session. 3. Building on the recommendations of the reports of the High Commissioner and the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka, the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 30/1, adopted by consensus, made comprehensive recommendations on the judicial and non- judicial measures necessary to advance accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, and on strengthening the protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The resolution represents the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to the international community and to its own people to confronting the past, ending impunity, ensuring justice, achieving reconciliation and preventing the recurrence of violations. 4. In the present report, the High Commissioner reviews progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka between October 2015 and January 2017 on the implementation of resolution 30/1. The report is based on public information and insights obtained by the Office from various stakeholders. The Government provided OHCHR with information, which was also taken into account in the preparation of the report. II. Engagement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations human rights mechanisms 5. Since the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 30/1, the Government of Sri Lanka has openly and regularly engaged with the United Nations system, and with OHCHR in particular. 6. The present report was largely informed by the visit of the High Commissioner to Sri Lanka from 6 to 10 February 2016. The Deputy High Commissioner also visited Sri Lanka from 1 to 4 September 2016 as part of the delegation of the Secretary-General. Several senior OHCHR officials also visited Sri Lanka throughout the period under review. The High Commissioner thanks the Government for its substantive engagement with the Office. 7. OHCHR continued to provide the Government with technical assistance through its presence in Sri Lanka and the deployment of expert missions. It also provided financial and technical support to national consultations on transitional justice and domestic screening processes for military personnel to be deployed to the United Nations Multidimensional 1 English, Sinhalese and Tamil versions of the findings (also referred to unofficially as the “OISL report”) are available at www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/LKIndex.aspx. 3 A/HRC/34/20 Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and advised on the review of counter-terrorism legislation and the protection of victims and witnesses. OHCHR also provided advice on various aspects of transitional justice, including through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, in coordination with the United Nations country team and the Resident Coordinator. OHCHR continued to work closely with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and civil society organizations. 8. The High Commissioner welcomes the constructive engagement of the Government of Sri Lanka with United Nations human rights mechanisms, and appreciates the standing invitation issued to all special procedures in December 2015. The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances visited Sri Lanka in November 2015. The Special Rapporteur on truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence has remained in close contact with the Government and representatives of civil society since his mission in March 2015. In September 2016, Sri Lanka hosted regional consultations on transitional justice for the Asia-Pacific region, conducted by the Special Rapporteur. The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers conducted a joint visit to Sri Lanka from 29 April to 7 May 2016,2 and the Special Rapporteur on minority issues visited the country from 10 to 20 October 2016.3 The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism has provided initial comments on the legislation meant to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The observations and recommendations of the above-mentioned mandate holders were used to inform the present report. 9. Several treaty bodies have reviewed the progress made by Sri Lanka in the implementation of its treaty obligations during the period under review: the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (see CERD/C/LKA/CO/10-17); the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (see CMW/C/LKA/CO/2); and the Committee against Torture (see CAT/C/LKA/CO/5). 10. Welcoming the efforts made by Sri Lanka to engage with the special procedures and the treaty bodies, the High Commissioner encourages the Government to set out a clear plan of action to implement the key recommendations made by them. III. Developments in reconciliation and accountability A. Transitional justice 11. In its resolution 30/1, the Human Rights Council supported the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to implement a comprehensive transitional justice agenda that included the establishment of an accountability mechanism, truth-seeking, reparations programmes and institutional reforms. 12. The Government has created several ad hoc bodies, including the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms,4 and the Office for National Unity and 2 See OHCHR, “Preliminary observations and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers - Ms. Mónica Pinto of the Official joint visit to Sri Lanka, 29 April to 7 May 2016”, press statement, 7 May 2016. 3 See OHCHR, “Statement of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on