Author: TELO Admin

India, at the 54th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, reminded Sri Lanka to implement the 13A and conduct the Provincial Council elections to ensure a life of respect and dignity for the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Indian Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey, Permanent Representative during the Interactive Dialogue on the OHCHR Report on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights’ in Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council on 13 September reiterated that India has always been guided by two fundamental principles in its support for the aspirations of Tamils, for equality, justice, dignity and peace and unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka and they hope that the Government of Sri Lanka will fulfill the aspirations of Tamils for equality, justice and peace and its commitment to implement the 13th Amendment and conduct Provincial Council Elections to ensure a life of respect and dignity for Tamils in Sri Lanka.

“We have taken note of reaffirmation by the Government of Sri Lanka on implementation of its commitments. However, progress on the same is inadequate and we urge the Government of Sri Lanka to work meaningfully towards early implementation of its commitments to ensure that the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all its citizens are fully protected,” Pandey said.

She further stressed that India is a close neighbour and friend of Sri Lanka, India has consistently supported Sri Lanka’s efforts towards relief, rehabilitation, re-settlement and the reconstruction process since 2009. India has also provided multi-pronged support, totalling more than USD four billion, to Sri Lanka and its people in the last one year to tide over its economic challenges.

India on Tuesday said the progress made by Sri Lanka, on its commitment to fulfil the Tamils’ aspirations, was “inadequate” and urged the island nation to “work meaningfully” to keep its promises.

“We have taken note of reaffirmation by the Government of Sri Lanka on implementation of its commitments. However, progress on the same is inadequate and we urge the Government of Sri Lanka to work meaningfully towards early implementation of its commitments to ensure that the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all its citizens are fully protected,” India’s representative told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva at its ongoing 54th session.

The position was consistent with New Delhi’s remarks last year, that voiced concern over the “lack of measurable progress”.

Unresolved Conflict

India’s intervention at the ‘Interactive Dialogue’, comes in the wake of the latest report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka’. Fourteen years after the civil war ended, Sri Lanka is far from reconciling the ethnic conflict that triggered it.

If the country’s past is troubled, its present is marred by last year’s devastating financial meltdown that has left over half its population vulnerable.

The High Commissioner’s office sought to highlight both the challenges. Addressing the Council on Monday, Nada Al-Nashif, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights said one year after the “remarkable protest movement” — the Janatha Aragalaya that ousted the Rajapaksas as the island’s economy crashed dramatically — demanding deep political and democratic reforms, the transformation “has still not materialised”.

Pointing to soaring poverty levels and the enduring impact of the crisis, she said an estimated 37% of households faced acute food insecurity.

Further, the top UN official underscored the limits placed on citizen’s political participation and free expression, owing to the delays in holding local government elections, and in reconstituting Provincial Councils under the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution.

India, too, reiterated its position on power devolution, citing its “two guiding principles” of support to the aspirations of Tamils for equality, justice, dignity, and peace; and to the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of Sri Lanka. “We hope that the Government of Sri Lanka will fulfill the aspirations of Tamils for equality, justice and peace and its commitment to implement the Thirteenth Amendment and conduct Provincial Council Elections to ensure a life of respect and dignity for Tamils in Sri Lanka,” the Indian diplomat said.

The UN official also highlighted escalating tensions in the island’s north and east, due to land acquisition “for expansion of military installations, Buddhist heritage conservation at Hindu or Muslim sites, and forestry protection.

At the ongoing session, the Council will not vote on a Sri Lanka resolution but is reviewing the island’s own commitments. While the High Commissioner’s report said it “recognises” the Sri Lankan government’s initiatives in regard to truth-seeking and reconciliation, it stressed that “urgent confidence-building steps” are needed for “genuine reconciliation and transitional justice process” to succeed. The Sri Lankan government rejected the report, and termed earlier resolutions of the Council “intrusive and polarising”.

The Chinese geophysical scientific research vessel Shi yan 6 (Experiment 6) is set to head for an expeditionary voyage in the eastern area of the Indian Ocean, departing from Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, on Sunday.

Organized by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the vessel is scheduled to operate at sea for 80 days with 28 scientific research projects from 13 research teams onboard, covering a range of more than 12,000 nautical miles (roughly 22,200 kilometers).

The voyage, based on multidisciplinary observations, aims to obtain a large amount of basic data for revealing the mechanisms by which dynamic processes affect biogeochemical cycles, ecosystems and sedimentary processes in that region, clarifying the geographical pattern of biodiversity in the study area, uncovering the response and indicative role of biological communities to physical processes, as well as understanding paleoclimate changes, Wang Weiqing, chief scientist of the expedition, told China Media Group.

An observation system will be deployed in the key observation area to study the current system in the local topographic evolution and its relationship with seabed sediments and geology, said Wang.

The voyage is also expected to strengthen scientific research cooperation and exchanges with countries along the Maritime Silk Road and further realize the integration of science and education to serve the Belt and Road Initiative, said Lin Qiang, project leader and deputy director of SCSIO.

With a total investment of over 500 million yuan (about $77 million), Shiyan 6 is hailed as one of the main forces of China’s 3,000-tonne vessels for deep-ocean scientific research.

The ship, measuring at 90.6 meters long and 17 meters wide, harbors an open operation deck area of more than 600 square meters and can carry a 60-member crew for 60 days at sea.

Source: CGTN

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) requested President Ranil Wickremesinghe to submit a copy of the Bill titled ‘Anti-Terrorism’, which the Cabinet of Ministers had approved recently, a statement from the Commission said.

The Commission stated it understands that the said Bill is a revised version of the Bill previously gazetted on March 17, 2023.

The HRCSL had also sent its observations and recommendations on the Bill gazetted in March 2023.

It expects to send further observations and recommendations on the revised Bill upon receiving a copy of the new version.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) are likely to form a grand alliance ahead of the next elections, Colombo Gazette learns.

Sources told Colombo Gazette that talks in this regard are at the initial stages and includes attempting to agree on a common policy and framework on governing the country.

While it is still not clear if there is majority consensus for the move, it is understood that both sides are in agreement that working together in an alliance is the only way both sides can win the next election.

Sources also said that key UNP members have been tasked with attempting to secure the support of some former UNP members who are now in the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

Negotiators from the UNP-SLPP are also expected to seek talks with rebel MPs of the SLPP who defected to the opposition or are independent MPs.

Meanwhile, it is understood that the SLPP and the UNP have already reached a consensus on the budget proposals for 2024.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to contest the Presidential elections next year. It is still not clear what role SLPP Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will play in the event Wickremesinghe does contest.

The popularity of the SLPP dropped during the economic crisis and the ‘Aragalaya’ protests.

During the crisis the SLPP was forced to back the appointment of Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and later President.