Govt. selective about implementing LLRC report: Pillay

Tuesday, 5 March 2013 01:55 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Dharisha Bastians

Sri Lanka continued to stay high on the agenda at the 22nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva when the meetings reopened following a weekend break yesterday, with Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay firing fresh salvos on the Government’s “selective implementation” of recommendations made by its own Lessons Learnt Commission.

Replying to a question posed by the Ambassador of Montenegro to the United Nations in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Pillay commended physical reconstruction and resettlement efforts in the north but said concerns remained about the lack of progress on accountability and reconciliation.

“Although I support the National Plan of Action for the implementation of the LLRC recommendations, I do think that this is being done selectively,” Pillay told the Council during an interactive session in Geneva yesterday morning.

The UN High Commissioner said that she welcomed moves by the Council to monitor Sri Lankan domestic processes on accountability and reconciliation.

“While clearly the Sri Lankan Government has invested in the physical aspects of reconciliation and development in the north of the island, including the resettlement of IDPs, all of which I welcome, I remain concerned about the lack of meaningful progress on accountability and reconciliation,” she said.

Pillay also admitted that an invitation for her to visit Sri Lanka had been extended by the Government in Colombo two years ago.

“By mutual agreement we stayed the visit pending the release of the LLRC report and pending the report from my technical mission and I look forward to discussions with the Sri Lankan Mission here for my further visit,” she said.

The High Commissioner said she hoped the visits of the eight UN special rapporteurs who have requested visits would also take place.

Special Representative Ambassador of Montenegro to the UNHRC Zorica Maric Djordjevic queried the High Commissioner about what steps were being taken in light of her report on Sri Lanka and the concerns raised.

The Montenegro Ambassador highlighted the section of the report that specified that “steps taken by the Government to investigate allegations of serious violation of human rights further have been inconclusive and lack the independence required to inspire confidence”.