Sri Lanka HR commission denies holding up Army peacekeeping mission
Mon, Jun 25, 2018, 06:52 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 25, Colombo: Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) today denied that it is holding up the deployment of the next army contingent for the UN peace keeping mission due to the delay in the process of clearing the military personnel in the contingent.
A report in a leading local English daily said the deployment of another contingent of military personnel has been held up due to the delay in giving clearance for them by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka HRCSL making it unable for Sri Lanka Army to send a contingent of 101 for UN peace keeping duties in Lebanon.
In a letter to the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Dr. Deepika Udagama expressing "deep concern" said the news item is incorrect and false.
"We trust that you are conscious of the fact that reporting matters which are factually incorrect not only negatively impacts HRCSL as an independent Commission, but also the public interest at large," the letter released to the media said.
The Chairperson pointed out that there was no delay whatsoever on the part of the HRCSL in the vetting process due to its actions. The Commission, she said had brought to the notice of the parties concerned that the vetting process is being pushed back and hampered as a result of inadequate information being provided to facilitate the vetting. Further, the applications were submitted without sufficient advance notice to meet the deadlines.
Full text of the HRCSL's letter to the newspaper
Re Lead Story in Daily Mirror of 25 June, 2018
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) notes with deep concern the lead story appearing in today's Daily Mirror (25th June 2018) under the caption "SL Army Peace Keeping Mission held up due to delay in clearance by HRCSL". This news item is incorrect and false.
We trust that you are conscious of the fact that reporting matters which are factually incorrect not only negatively impacts HRCSL as an independent Commission, but also the public interest at large.
The process of vetting personnel of the tri forces and the police to be deployed overseas as UN Peace Keepers by HRCSL commenced in September 2016. As such, your reporting that clearance of personnel by the HRCSL commenced in March, 2018 is incorrect.
A roundtable conference was held on the 21St June 2018, in Colombo which was attended by the Commanders of Army and Navy, Air Force Chief of Staff, senior personnel of the STF,
representatives of the Ministry of Defence, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson and Commissioners of the HRCSL together with the officers of the Peace Keeping Department of the UN, New York. There, the modalities of vetting and expediting the process were finalized in keeping with UN standards.
We wish to inform that the HRCSL informed H.E. the President by letter dated 04.04.2018 of the manner in which the vetting process undertaken by the HRCSL had progressed since 2016. A copy of the letter is attached for your reference.
Please be good enough to ensure that this response of HRCSL be published in tomorrow's (26th June 2018) Daily Mirror, affording to it the same prominence as the news item in issue.
Mon, Jun 25, 2018, 06:52 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 25, Colombo: Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) today denied that it is holding up the deployment of the next army contingent for the UN peace keeping mission due to the delay in the process of clearing the military personnel in the contingent.
A report in a leading local English daily said the deployment of another contingent of military personnel has been held up due to the delay in giving clearance for them by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka HRCSL making it unable for Sri Lanka Army to send a contingent of 101 for UN peace keeping duties in Lebanon.
In a letter to the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Dr. Deepika Udagama expressing "deep concern" said the news item is incorrect and false.
"We trust that you are conscious of the fact that reporting matters which are factually incorrect not only negatively impacts HRCSL as an independent Commission, but also the public interest at large," the letter released to the media said.
The Chairperson pointed out that there was no delay whatsoever on the part of the HRCSL in the vetting process due to its actions. The Commission, she said had brought to the notice of the parties concerned that the vetting process is being pushed back and hampered as a result of inadequate information being provided to facilitate the vetting. Further, the applications were submitted without sufficient advance notice to meet the deadlines.
Full text of the HRCSL's letter to the newspaper
Re Lead Story in Daily Mirror of 25 June, 2018
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) notes with deep concern the lead story appearing in today's Daily Mirror (25th June 2018) under the caption "SL Army Peace Keeping Mission held up due to delay in clearance by HRCSL". This news item is incorrect and false.
We trust that you are conscious of the fact that reporting matters which are factually incorrect not only negatively impacts HRCSL as an independent Commission, but also the public interest at large.
The process of vetting personnel of the tri forces and the police to be deployed overseas as UN Peace Keepers by HRCSL commenced in September 2016. As such, your reporting that clearance of personnel by the HRCSL commenced in March, 2018 is incorrect.
A roundtable conference was held on the 21St June 2018, in Colombo which was attended by the Commanders of Army and Navy, Air Force Chief of Staff, senior personnel of the STF,
representatives of the Ministry of Defence, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson and Commissioners of the HRCSL together with the officers of the Peace Keeping Department of the UN, New York. There, the modalities of vetting and expediting the process were finalized in keeping with UN standards.
We wish to inform that the HRCSL informed H.E. the President by letter dated 04.04.2018 of the manner in which the vetting process undertaken by the HRCSL had progressed since 2016. A copy of the letter is attached for your reference.
Please be good enough to ensure that this response of HRCSL be published in tomorrow's (26th June 2018) Daily Mirror, affording to it the same prominence as the news item in issue.
