Joint Statement to Secretary General on Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons re Sri Lanka

Interactive Dialogue with the Representative of the Secretary General on Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons
Geneva, 20 March 2007

Joint Statement delivered by Rafendi Djamin on behalf of FORUM-ASIA, Pax Romana-ICMICA/MIIC, International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), in cooperation with INFID, Human Rights Working Group-Indonesia, Center for Policy Alternatives, INFORM, Law and Society Trust (LST) and Rights Now

We welcome the report of the Dr. Walter Kaelin which covers major concerns we Asian human rights defenders have. In terms of the operationalization and implementation of some recommendations, we would like to raise some follow-up questions.

1. How the proposed benchmarks related to voluntary and safe return and resettlement of IPDs in your report, could be implemented in some contexts such as Sri Lanka which has been facing human rights crisis due to internal conflicts and disaster?

2. Could you please elaborate on the progress in developing handbook for the national implementation of Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement for parliamentarians and policy makers in particular, in the countries like Indonesia which have been visited by the SR of SRGS, you and your predecessor? What are the follow-up mechanisms on your side when there is no follow-up action by governments concerned?

3. Regarding the role of NHRIs, would you please share your perspective on how NHRIs can best work together with governmental agencies and UN agencies in addressing the emergency situations in terms of protection of the human rights of IDPs?

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