Addressing the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) as the Chair of the 2018 HRC Social Forum, today, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez stressed that the Forum provided a platform for a vibrant multi-stakeholder dialogue. He said it brought together governments, intergovernmental organisations, sports bodies, academia and the private sector, to address how best sports could be promoted as a means of empowering people while bridging divides among different segments of society.
“Sports, like diplomacy, has the potential to bring all actors beyond the immediate theatre of competition. They both encourage camaraderie and solidarity, to achieve shared objectives’ stated Ambassador Azeez, stressing further “‘win-win’ in sports, as in diplomacy, is to remain engaged, to build and maintain momentum and to reach the finish-line of pursuit”. He added “this pursuit should continue unfazed in the face of expressions of hate by any fringe elements and misinformation targeting professionals in both disciplines”.
The report of the 2018 HRC Social Forum on ‘Sports and Human Rights’ chaired by Sri Lanka placed emphasis on bilateral and other forms of cooperation as well as inclusive approach to physical education, physical activities and sports, based on human rights values. It further stated that sports and new technologies should embed human rights by design.
"Sri Lanka has steadfastly pursued economic, social and cultural advancement as a developing country, with the same emphasis and thrust as for protection of civil and political rights" since becoming a State party to the covenants on civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights, said Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, today, 28 February 2019, at the 40th Session of the Human Rights Council.
Participating as the "Country Concerned" at the Clustered Interactive Dialogue (ID) with the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights and Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Ambassador Azeez emphasized that poverty alleviation remained a high priority for the Government of Sri Lanka. "A holistic approach is being followed in addressing poverty and advancing national development" he further added.
The Statement followed the presentation of the Report (A/HRC/40/57/Add.2) on the visit of Independent Expert to Sri Lanka from 3rd to 11th September 2018. Sri Lanka's observations on the Report of the Independent Expert are contained in document A/HRC/40/57/Add.4.
Full Statement
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
28 February 2019
Addressing the Annual High-level Panel Discussion on Human Rights Mainstreaming on 25 February 2019, Sri Lanka said that having actively engaged in a number of inter-governmental processes and observing the overwhelming desire of the stakeholders to build consensus and collective outcomes over the last several years, it believed that the “picture is not entirely bleak”, and “there is still hope that multilateralism can deliver despite challenges”.
Sri Lanka's Deputy Permanent Representative in Geneva Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya stated so, speaking on the theme ‘Human Rights in the light of multilateralism: opportunities, challenges and the way forward’, during the ongoing 40th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Making further comments, Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya said the high-level panel discussion came at a time when there were broader concerns on whether the UN multilateral system was able to respond effectively, to a rapidly changing global peace, security and development architecture. She noted that in the recent years, the multilateral outcomes reached through the Paris Climate Change Summit, the Marrakech Global Migration Compact, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to name a few, had taken a human centric approach, integrating human rights and transforming them into actionable commitments. She stressed, however, that it was time to take a critical look on how and what more could be done to improve UN multilateral processes.
The 2018 Social Forum of the United Nations Human Rights Council kicked off today at the United Nations in Geneva, with Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative Ambassador Azeez as the Chairperson-Rapporteur, alongside High Commissioner for Human Rights Madam Michelle Bachelet and Council President Vogislav Suc. This three day Forum will address the possibilities of further promoting human rights for all and to strengthen universal respect for them, through a thematic focus.
Opening the 2018 Social Forum of UN Human Rights Council today Ambassador Azeez says 'this Forum has served as an inclusive platform for multi-stakeholders & has enabled a deep reflection, among participants, on important themes that could bring out diverse aspects of intersectionality between Human Rights and the society'.
Addressing the Social Forum further, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative stated that at a time when every recognized norm and value on which the UN, international order, and multilateralism stand, was being put to test in today's globalized and yet volatile world, the importance of Social Forum, stands enhanced as a bridge-builder and as an enabler of an exchange of diverse perspectives aimed to strengthen and elaborate such norms and values.
“Sri Lanka’s continuing engagement with the special procedures of the Human Right Council testifies to the priority we attach to open and candid exchanges” said Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, delivering a Statement on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council today (12th September 2018). Participating representative of the ‘Country Concerned’ in the Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at the 39th Session of the Human Rights Council, emphasized “a number of positive developments have taken place strengthening governance, rule of law and human rights as acknowledged in the report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention”. The Statement followed the presentation of the Report (A/HRC/39/45/Add.2) on the visit of Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to Sri Lanka from 4th to 15th December 2017.
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
12th September 2018
An Interview given by Mr Saliya Pieris, Chairperson of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) to the " 99 minutes" Programme of the Rupavahini channel could be accessed via following URL:
Public Communications Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
12 July 2018
The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a list of names published online by the ITJP (International Truth and Justice Project). According to the ITJP, this list, which presently consists of 351 names and can be accessed at http://www.disappearance.itjpsl.com/#lang=english is of persons who are alleged to have disappeared while in the custody of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in May 2009.
The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) which has been established by an Act of Parliament (Act No. 14 of 2016 as amended by Act No. 09 of 2017) is the permanent and independent entity in Sri Lanka that is vested with the tasks of, inter alia, searching and tracing of missing persons and clarifying the circumstances in which such persons went missing, and their fate; making recommendations to the relevant authorities towards reducing the incidents of missing persons; protecting the rights and interests of missing persons and their relatives; and identifying proper avenues of redress to which such missing persons or their relatives may have recourse.
Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges and encourages anyone in Sri Lanka or overseas to kindly share with the Office on Missing Persons:
-any further/additional/detailed information pertaining to persons whose names have been listed by the ITJP and the circumstances under which they went missing;
-any other lists/information that may be available with anyone/ entity pertaining to any individuals including lists of security forces and police personnel, who may be considered to be missing, as defined by Section 27 of the Act.
Kindly direct any information available to:
Chairperson,
Office on Missing Persons,
Address: 34, Narahenpita Road, Nawala, Sri Lanka
E-mail: <ompsrilanka@gmail.com>;
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
Colombo 1
20 June 2018
[1]http://www.parliament.lk/uploads/acts/gbills/english/6016.pdf
http://www.parliament.lk/uploads/acts/gbills/english/6045.pdf
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