Monday, 02 Sep 2013
The government yesterday expressed its willingness to investigate allegations raised by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, that some defenders of human rights and families of the war victims who had met her during her week-long official tour in Sri Lanka, had been threatened and intimidated by State agents.
Government Spokesman and Media Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, told the media yesterday the government was ready to investigate, but insisted that Pillay’s office must provide evidence to prove the allegations in order to investigate the matter.Rambukwella said some groups may attempt to discredit the government by either threatening those who spoke to her or by making false claims.
Government Spokesman and Media Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, told the media yesterday the government was ready to investigate, but insisted that Pillay’s office must provide evidence to prove the allegations in order to investigate the matter.Rambukwella said some groups may attempt to discredit the government by either threatening those who spoke to her or by making false claims.
”We take these claims very seriously,” the minister said.
On Saturday, the UN Rights Chief censured the government for failing to act on those allegations. She said ‘bare denials would not help’ and that she would expect the government to investigate the claims.
Asked by a reporter from the State media as to how sure she was about the authenticity of those complaints, Pillay, a former judge of the South African High Court and the International Criminal Court, responded: “I would respond to that in my former capacity as a judge. What would you do when a complaint is made? You investigate it. Bare denials would not help.”
On Saturday, the UN Rights Chief censured the government for failing to act on those allegations. She said ‘bare denials would not help’ and that she would expect the government to investigate the claims.
Asked by a reporter from the State media as to how sure she was about the authenticity of those complaints, Pillay, a former judge of the South African High Court and the International Criminal Court, responded: “I would respond to that in my former capacity as a judge. What would you do when a complaint is made? You investigate it. Bare denials would not help.”
Rambukwella was the first to respond from the government ranks since Pillay made the allegations in public on Saturday (31 August).
She charged that some families who met her in Mullaitivu had been visited by the police prior to and after their meetings with the High Commissioner. Several people in Trincomalee who met the UN Rights Chief had been questioned about their conversation with her, she added. She also noted that human rights’ defenders, journalists and at least two priests who were scheduled to meet or had met her had been intimidated.
“This does not happen during my missions,” she said.
She charged that some families who met her in Mullaitivu had been visited by the police prior to and after their meetings with the High Commissioner. Several people in Trincomalee who met the UN Rights Chief had been questioned about their conversation with her, she added. She also noted that human rights’ defenders, journalists and at least two priests who were scheduled to meet or had met her had been intimidated.
“This does not happen during my missions,” she said.
“This type of surveillance and harassment appears to be getting worse in Sri Lanka, which is a country where critical voices are quite often attacked or even permanently silenced. Utterly unacceptable at any time, it is particularly extraordinary for such treatment to be meted out during a visit by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” she noted in her opening remarks which captained a litany of criticism of the government’s human rights record.
“I wish to stress that the United Nations takes the issue of reprisals against people because they have talked to UN officials as an extremely serious matter, and I will be reporting those that take place in connection with this visit to the Human Rights Council,” she added.
“I wish to stress that the United Nations takes the issue of reprisals against people because they have talked to UN officials as an extremely serious matter, and I will be reporting those that take place in connection with this visit to the Human Rights Council,” she added.
The UN Rights Chief will deliver an oral presentation on Sri Lanka at the forthcoming UN Human Rights Session this month and deliver a comprehensive report at the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014 as part of her mandate granted by the UN-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have reacted to the concerns raised on Sri Lanka by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.
Meanwhile, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have reacted to the concerns raised on Sri Lanka by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.
Foreign Office Minister, Alistair Burt, tweeted, saying her concerns confirm that it is vital Sri Lanka meets the declared intentions on reconciliation and human rights.