Annual Report of UNHCR and Reports of the OHCHR and the Secretary-General - General Debate
Wednesday, 20 March 2013 
22nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Annual Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the OHCHR and the Secretary-General - General Debate.
Thank you, Mr. President. FORUM-ASIA sincerely appreciates the report of the OHCHR on the issue of reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka (A/HRC/22/38). We note that the follow-up draft resolution tabled at this Council session incorporates several findings and recommendations by the High Commissioner, including the establishment of a truth-seeking mechanism, and we urge the government of Sri Lanka to maximize the assistance offered by the OHCHR in this regard. We also echo the High Commissioner’s call for an independent and credible investigation into alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed by both parties to the conflict. We emphasize that the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) must be implemented comprehensively and are disappointed by the selective approach taken by the government’s National Plan of Action to Implement the Recommendations of the LLRC.
Mr. President, as highlighted by the High Commissioner, the government continues to overlook resolving land-related issues for the purpose of attaining a durable solution for IDPs, which exacerbates the grievances of minority populations. Some of the recommendations accepted and included in the government’s National Plan of Action pertain to issues of land in the context of return and resettlement of IDPs, regrettably however, the government of Sri Lanka is not honouring even these provisions in its own action plan. More than ten thousand families in war affected areas, particularly in Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Trincomalee, have been unable to resettle and resume their livelihoods in their villages due to military occupation of their land. Many are living in temporary settlements where their households lack decent shelter, sanitation and potable water. The current version of the draft resolution on Sri Lanka welcomes the progress made by the government in resettling majority of the IDPs, yet the ground reality presents an urgent need to address the immediate requirements of the remaining “old” and “new” IDPs in the North and East, particularly adequate housing and infrastructure to women-headed households. In this vein, we call on the government of Sri Lanka to pay serious heed to all the recommendations of both the High Commissioner and the LLRC regarding demilitarization of the former conflict areas. Furthermore, the government must take on board the High Commissioner’s recommendation to take concrete steps towards the devolution of power to demonstrate genuinely consultative and inclusive reconciliation.
Finally, Mr. President, FORUM-ASIA highlights the recommendations of the High Commissioner to enact laws to criminalize enforced disappearances and ensure the right of information, while also bringing existing legislation such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act, in line with international human rights norms and standards. Thank you, Mr. President.
Oral Statement Delivered by Ms. Pooja Patel on Behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
It was considering asking IPL teams to keep Sri Lankan players out of matches in Chennai. However, it has ruled out any threat to cricketers
CHENNAI: Politics and sports have been strange bedfellows. The unrest in Tamil Nadu over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue has sparked off apprehensions about the Indian Premier League matches in Chennai next month.
BCCI sources said it was considering asking IPL teams to keep Sri Lankan players out of matches in Chennai. However, it has ruled out any threat to Sri Lankan cricketers saying that it there are problems they would be dealt with at that time.
"There is no threat to the IPL. Matches will take place at the scheduled venues. Till now, we haven't seen any threat," IPL Commissioner Rajiv Shukla told reporters on Tuesday. Eight of the nine IPL teams, participating in the series beginning on April 3, have Sri Lankan players.
Chennai is scheduled to host 10 matches in IPL VI. BCCI is also making back-up plans by keeping stadia in four cities free in the event of shifting a match out from one of the scheduled venues.
With political parties in Tamil Nadu up in arms against Sri Lanka, BCCI is anticipating protests against Lankan players. Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa had last month decided to cancel the Asian Athletics Championships to be held in Chennai in July, saying Lankan players had no place in the state.
There are 13 Sri Lankan players with Mahela Jayawardene as captain of the Delhi team.
The other players from Sri Lanka are Akila Dananjaya and Nuwan Kulasekara (Chennai team), Jeevan Mendis(Delhi), Sachithra Senanayake ( Kolkata), Lasith Malinga (Mumbai), Ajantha Mendis and Angelo Mathews(Pune), Kusal Janith Perera (Rajashthan), Muthaiah Muralitharan and Thilakaratne Dilshan (Bangalore) andKumar Sangakkara and Thisara Perera (Hyderabad).
BCCI sources said it was considering asking IPL teams to keep Sri Lankan players out of matches in Chennai. However, it has ruled out any threat to Sri Lankan cricketers saying that it there are problems they would be dealt with at that time.
"There is no threat to the IPL. Matches will take place at the scheduled venues. Till now, we haven't seen any threat," IPL Commissioner Rajiv Shukla told reporters on Tuesday. Eight of the nine IPL teams, participating in the series beginning on April 3, have Sri Lankan players.
Chennai is scheduled to host 10 matches in IPL VI. BCCI is also making back-up plans by keeping stadia in four cities free in the event of shifting a match out from one of the scheduled venues.
With political parties in Tamil Nadu up in arms against Sri Lanka, BCCI is anticipating protests against Lankan players. Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa had last month decided to cancel the Asian Athletics Championships to be held in Chennai in July, saying Lankan players had no place in the state.
There are 13 Sri Lankan players with Mahela Jayawardene as captain of the Delhi team.
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The other players from Sri Lanka are Akila Dananjaya and Nuwan Kulasekara (Chennai team), Jeevan Mendis(Delhi), Sachithra Senanayake ( Kolkata), Lasith Malinga (Mumbai), Ajantha Mendis and Angelo Mathews(Pune), Kusal Janith Perera (Rajashthan), Muthaiah Muralitharan and Thilakaratne Dilshan (Bangalore) andKumar Sangakkara and Thisara Perera (Hyderabad).
