Human Rights Watch's Geneva Director called on members of the United Nations Human Rights Council to "ensure continued international scrutiny until the Sri Lankan government delivers on its commitments in full", in a statement released as the council meets this week.
Responding to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein's report John Fisher, the organisation's Geneva director, said it "paints a picture that is in stark contrast to the rosy claims of the Sri Lankan government".
“Zeid’s report bolsters findings by UN independent experts and Sri Lankan rights groups that meaningful government action is needed, particularly on accountability and justice," he added.
Assessing the progress made by Sri Lanka in implementing resolution 30/1 which it co-sponsored at the Human Rights Council in 2015, the report urged "stronger, tangible results need to be forthcoming without further delay to prevent any further dissipation of hardearned trust" and warned that the fulfilment of commitments by Colombo had been "worryingly slow".
“The high commissioner’s report spotlights just how far there is to go before the promise of reconciliation, justice, and reform in Sri Lanka becomes a reality,” said Mr Fisher. “The Human Rights Council needs to engage meaningfully with both the high commissioner’s report and the Consultation Task Force report, and adopt a substantive resolution to urge acceptance of its recommendations, request an implementation timetable, and ensure continued international scrutiny until the Sri Lankan government delivers on its commitments in full.”
See more from HRW here.
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