Sri Lanka: “Seize the momentum for minority rights
protection” – UN rights expert
COLOMBO (20 October 2016) – The United Nations Special
Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, today urged the Government of
Sri Lanka not to lose the momentum gained by the new administration in 2015,
and show its commitment to minority rights through concrete action.
“In order to achieve peaceful co-existence after the long
devastating civil war, a comprehensive, well-planned and well-coordinated
truth, reconciliation, healing and accountability process must take place, and
it cannot be done overnight,” Ms. Izsák-Ndiaye said at the end of her first
information-gathering visit* to the country.
“At the same time, the Government must put in place some
urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political
will and commitment to better protect the dignity, identity, equality and right
to participation in all walks of life, of Sri Lanka’s minorities,” she
emphasised.
During her ten-day mission to Sri Lanka, she consulted a
large number of minority representatives across the country, including Sri
Lankan and Up-Country Tamils, Muslims, Hindus, Burghers, Christians, Telugus,
Veddas, Malays, and Sri Lankan Africans.
The expert commended the National Unity Government for
the important progress it has made towards adopting critical laws and policies
and in strengthening institutions to better protect human and minority rights.
“However, challenges remain,” she said, noting that,
among the most pressing and emotive issues, especially for the Tamil and Muslim
communities, were disappeared persons, return of occupied land, release of
security-related detainees, as well as demilitarization, which must be
addressed urgently.
The lack of adequately inclusive and representative
institutions and language barriers in accessing public services and the justice
system featured recurrently in all consultations across the country. “Poverty,
violence and discrimination against women including in personal laws, and
caste-based discrimination are further challenges,” she stated.
“Trust must be built in State institutions and between
the various population groups,” Ms Izsák-Ndiaye said. “Efforts by the
Government to implement good and inclusive governance must include guarantees
that minorities become part of decision-making processes and have a place in
state- and provincial administration. Consultations with minority groups on
issues affecting them should be regular, institutionalized and systematized.”
“Educational curriculum must ensure teaching about Sri
Lanka’s diversity, as a source of strength, and about the different cultural,
ethnic and religious identity of its population groups to foster deeper
understanding,” the expert added.
Ms Izsák-Ndiaye pointed out that minorities have a great
deal of expectations from the Constitutional reform process and see it as the
critical moment to codifying and guaranteeing their rights. “Minority NGOs and
communities have given their voices to the constitutional consultation process
with their numerous submissions,” she said. “Their views and aspirations must
be taken into proper consideration.”
The UN Special Rapporteur called for the creation of an
independent minority rights body to provide expertise and information to
legislative- and policy-making processes, encourage and coordinate programming
on minority issues, and form a bridge between minority communities and the
state.
Ms Izsák-Ndiaye will present a detailed report to the UN
Human Rights Council in March 2017.
(*) Check the Special Rapporteur’s full end-of-mission
statement:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20709&LangID=E
ENDS
Ms. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye (Hungary) was appointed as
Independent Expert on minority issues by the Human Rights Council in June 2011
and subsequently her mandate was renewed as Special Rapporteur on minority
issues in March 2014. She is tasked by the UN Human Rights Council, to promote
the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to
National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, among other
things. Learn more, visit:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Minorities/SRMinorities/Pages/SRminorityissuesIndex.aspx
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address
either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the
world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN
staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any
government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
Check the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/Minorities.aspx
UN Human Rights, country page – Sri Lanka:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/LKIndex.aspx
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Colombo (during the visit): Mrs. Niroshini Fernando,
(+94 (0) 777 55 9261 niroshini.fernando@one.un.org
In Geneva (after the visit): Ms. Olga Nakajo (+41 22 928
9348 / onakajo@ohchr.org) or write to minorityissues@ohchr.org.
You can access this press release at:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20713&LangID=E
For media inquiries related to other UN independent
experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917
9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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