US concerned about attacks on minorities

The United States yesterday said it welcomed the Government’s decision to accept recommendations on rights violations but remained concerned about reports of abuse by security services and attacks on religious minority communities. The full statement is given below:

The United States welcomes the delegation from Sri Lanka.

We welcome the Government’s decision to accept our recommendations on full implementation of HRC resolution 30/1 and on accountability for the Government’s, including the security forces, human rights violations and abuses, as well as accountability for those responsible for harassment and violence against members of religious minority communities.  

Although we are pleased with the Government’s support for these recommendations, we are concerned by ongoing reports of human rights violations and abuses by members of the security services and recent attacks targeting members of religious minority communities. 

We urge the Government to hold accountable all those responsible for human rights abuses and violations and to protect religious minorities and their places of worship. We further urge the government to take additional steps to fully implement the commitments it made in HRC resolution 30/1 and reaffirmed in HRC resolution 34/1.

We look forward to seeing Sri Lanka’s progress on implementing the UPR recommendations accepted by the Government over the next five years.