Rapporteur Raises Land Issue

By Easwaran Rutnam-Sunday, May 25, 2014

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Chaloka Beyani, has in a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), ahead of its 26th regular session which begins next month, expressed concerns at the significant number of people still living in protracted displacement following the war in Sri Lanka. He said there is a need to establish how many people are still displaced, and also how many still do not have access to their original lands. The Special Rapporteur called for data, disaggregated by gender and age, on internal displacement, for adequate planning, as well as a survey of the intention of displaced persons with regard to durable solutions.

Beyani, who visited Sri Lanka last December, notes in his report that the people who have returned or settled elsewhere in the North still live in very precarious conditions and need more durable housing, access to social services, and livelihood opportunities.

On a positive note Beyani welcomed the efforts made by the Government of Sri Lanka to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed during the conflict and the demining in return areas, and stressed that the post-conflict reconstruction process should also focus on addressing durable solutions for all internally displaced persons, both those who had been relocated by the Government and those who had returned to their areas of origin on a comprehensive basis. In the national context of transition from relief to development in the aftermath of conflict, he said that it is essential that the Government and development actors engage in resolving the issue of displaced persons and address their durable solutions needs and livelihoods in development plans, the rule of law, human rights and good governance programmes.

From 2 to 6 December, 2013, the Special Rapporteur undertook, at the invitation of the Government, a visit to Sri Lanka. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur travelled to Colombo, Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi, and met with internally displaced persons.

He said that following his visit he welcomed the agreement to conduct a joint needs assessment, which will be vital for establishing agreed sets of statistical data on the number of internally displaced persons who have returned or been resettled.