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IMADR, Pax Romana and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development

Agenda item 4, discussion on the Human Rights situations that require the Human Rights Council’s attention

During the past 2 weeks we as civil society actors have participated in the deliberations of the council both in terms of thematic issues as well as in relation to the on going discussions related to the development of the new structure of the human rights council.
We wish to express our deep appreciation to ｔhe efforts taken by you Mr President and the High Commissioner to facilitate active participation of civil society in all the deliberations.

We wish to bring the following countries to your attention:
SRI LANKA
We are happy to note your collaborative efforts in a post conflict situation in Nepal through the initiatives of the Office of the High Commissioner to strengthen initiatives related to the promotion and protection of human rights. In a similar manner we urge the Human Rights Council to pay special attention to Sri Lanka a country engaged in a long and protracted war in a context of the failure to resolve the ethnic conflict since independence. Next year Sri Lanka will celebrate it:s 60th year of independence and the 25th year of an armed conflict. It is also alarming that a country with a low per capita income and high debt servicing ratio will spend 40% of it:s annual budget on defence amounting US $ 7.7 billion for the year 2007. This is also a country today seeking huge amounts for the development of the East after virtually destroying all the infrastructure and displacing it:s own citizen’s to join Mr Bush’s global campaign against terrorism. We as civil society actors in the South of Sri Lanka and Asia stand against all violence. But we will not condone militarization imposed on our lives and the mounting of aggression on legitimate dissent through state terrorism and super power hegemonies. If Sri Lankan governments have resolved its ethnic conflict in a fair and equitable manner they could have used the colossal amount of funds spent to print beautiful dossiers and CDs instead for the development of it’s people.. Sri Lanka has been under Emergency Regulation for most of the time since 1971. This has given rise to a culture of impunity and violations related to rule of law. The Police officers are yet to understand the implications of the Presidential Directives of 2007 July in relation to arrests and detentions. They are so used to working and operating under the Emergency Regulations . We have continued to bring these problems to the notice of the Ministry of Human Rights during consultative meetings held with the NGOs. Upto date we have not been able to implement these provisions effectively.

The Special Commission appointed to investigate into 17 cases have not been able to move on with the activities affectively. The IGEP has released a statement last week
expressing concerns related to the on going investigations. The All Party Conference established to come up with a southern consensus to find a political solution is in a state of limbo. Governments providing aid , assistance and armaments to Sri Lanka who are members of the Human Rights Council are well aware of all these details. Several statements have already been made in the human rights council in relation to the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka.

THE PHILIPPINES
The government of President Arroyo hasn’t effectively dealt with issues of extra-judicia executions and disappearances. Hence we call upon the HRC to take up Sri Lanka as country requiring special attention.

We also wish to condemn the attack on Buddhist monks in Burma and urge OHCR to take all necessary steps to protect the democratic space and human rights.