Call for time bound implementation of UNHRC commitments

Making interventions during the interactive dialogue of Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Review, UN member states Macedonia, Austria, USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Finland and Denmark called on the Sri Lanka to “produce an unambiguous timeline” detailing “adequate resources” for the full implementation of the resolution commitments.

Member states including Argentina, USA, Canada, Austria, Estonia and Slovenia highlighted the importance of ensuring accountability and prosecutions during their interventions. Stressing the importance of accountability within Sri Lanka’s security forces, the United States called on Sri Lanka to ensure “accountability for violations of human rights by security forces” and “ensure prosecutions for religious violence”.

Canada and Slovenia stressed the need for a “victim centred” accountability mechanism that included “involvement of foreign and Commonwealth prosecutors, investigators and judges”

Slovenia, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, East Timor, Latvia and Austria called on Sri Lanka to ratify the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court as a measure to prevent non-recurrence of atrocities.

Member states called on Sri Lanka to criminalise enforced disappearances in its penal code and highlighted concerns on its failure to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act which allows for arbitrary detention.

Austria called for an “end of military involvement in civilian affairs”. Canada reiterated calls on Sri Lanka to end military involvement in civilian affairs and for “the return of lands to rightful civilian owners.” Ghana added to calls to end land appropriation in the North-East and called on Sri Lanka to consider large scale transfer of land for civilian use in northern and eastern provinces.