UK still undecided on CHOGM
In an official response, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said,
We note the Committee’s recommendation on the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2013. We recognise, and share,
the concerns of the Committee about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka,
particularly in light of the recent dismissal of the Chief Justice following an
impeachment process the Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruled illegal.
We look to Sri Lanka, as with any other CHOGM host, to demonstrate its commitment to
upholding Commonwealth values of good governance and respect for human rights
as we have stated publicly. It will also be important that delegations, civil society
and media are able to travel and report freely.
The concerns of the UK and the wider international community on human rights are regularly relayed to the Government of Sri Lanka. These include issues of media freedom, the need to
address longstanding issues of accountability and reconciliation after the war, and
the importance of judicial independence. These messages will be reiterated by
Alistair Burt, FCO Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, when he next visits Sri
Lanka, and in the context of our expectations for CHOGM.
It is, however, too early to make decisions about UK attendance at CHOGM. Decisions on attendance are for each Commonwealth member government to take for itself.
See the full response to the report here.
