Foreign Ministry response to Ambika Satkunanathan’s statement to European Parliament condemned

A group of 47 individuals and organisations have come forward in solidarity with human rights lawyer and advocate Ambika Satkunanathan following Foreign Ministry’s response to her statement at the hearing of the European Parliament’s sub-committee on human rights, on 27 January. In her submission, human rights lawyer and advocate, former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, and Chairperson of the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust Satkunanathan, made a critical assessment of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and its international and national obligations to its citizens, and provided recommendations to European Union member states. 

The group of civil society members and organisations issued the following statement.  

“Rather than engage substantively with the issues raised, the Sri Lankan Government instead chose to cast aspersions on an individual with an unimpeachable record of principled research, advocacy and public service for the improvement of human rights in Sri Lanka. The attempt by the Foreign Ministry to draw an analogy between the independent advocacy of a Tamil activist and researcher with the claims of the LTTE is both unwarranted, mischievous and chilling. The insinuation that pointing out the differential impact of government policies, state institutions and their practices on Tamil and Muslim communities is in some way ‘stoking hatred among communities’ and harmful to ‘social harmony’ is also deeply troubling. Given how the PTA and ICCPR Act have been used in Sri Lanka in the recent past by the state to target critical individuals and members of minority communities, this characterisation is ominous.  

Retaining or losing GSP+ trade privileges is entirely based on the European Union’s assessment of the conduct of the Sri Lankan Government with respect to labour rights, human rights, environmental protection and good governance. The suggestion that it is human rights advocacy that jeopardises GSP+ trade privileges which are crucial for the Sri Lankan economy is highly disingenuous. 

We consider the targeting of outspoken members of civil society by a government institution using dangerous insinuations to be a form of intimidation aimed at stifling dissent and freedom of expression. Statements such as this by the Foreign Ministry, we believe, aim to constrain civil society engagement as an independent interlocutor with the international community on democracy and rights issues, standing up for the rights and protection of affected communities and individuals. 

Like Ms. Satkunanathan, many in civil society have been raising concerns regarding the operational environment for civil society organisations and activists, and the threat of a repressive new law. We note with deep concern the continuing incidents of harassment of victim-survivors, human rights activists, media workers and civil society organisations by state actors. Creating an enabling environment for civil society will require more than mere assertions that civil society is treated as a partner and the shifting of the NGO Secretariat to a new Ministry. We remain willing to engage with the Government in an honest, principled and constructive dialogue on this, and the other substantive issues raised by Ms. Satkunanathan, which we share and stand-by. However, the targeting of civil society activists in this manner by the Foreign Ministry does not inspire confidence or trust. 

We condemn this statement of the Foreign Ministry, and stand in solidarity with Ms. Ambika Satkunanathan and all other civil society activists engaged in the processes of promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and genuine reconciliation in Sri Lanka.”