The first draft of the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka has given the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) the mandate to investigate alleged rights violations and related crimes by both the Lankan government and LTTE.
The resolution encourages the High Commissioner and special procedures mandate holders to advise and technically assist on implementing the above-mentioned steps. It calls upon the SL govt to co-operate with the High Commissioner’s office.
While asking the UN High Commissioner to investigate, the US resolution also calls upon the SL govt to conduct “independent and credible” investigations into violations of International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law and to “hold accountable those responsible for such violation and end continuing incidents of human rights violations”.
While acknowledging the progress made by the SL govt in re-building infrastructure, de-mining and re-settling Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the resolution noted that “considerable work lies ahead in the areas of justice, reconciliation, demilitarisation and the resumption of livelihoods”.
The resolution also calls upon Colombo to implement the recommendations of its own LLRC, and investigate all attacks on temples, churches, mosques, journalists, human rights and civil society activists and religious minorities. It wants the perpetrators to be brought to account and recurrence of such attacks prevented.
The resolution wants the Lankan government to release the report of the army’s inquiry into its alleged excesses and encourages it to “provide the NPC and its CM with the resources and authority to govern, as required by the 13th Amendment .’’