{"id":54238,"date":"2017-07-14T18:14:12","date_gmt":"2017-07-14T22:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=54238"},"modified":"2017-07-14T18:14:12","modified_gmt":"2017-07-14T22:14:12","slug":"range-of-consequences-could-befall-sri-lanka-when-international-community-reaches-end-of-its-patience-ben-emmerson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=54238","title":{"rendered":"“Range of Consequences Could Befall Sri Lanka When International Community Reaches End of Its Patience”- Ben Emmerson"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n By Chathuri Dissanayake <\/strong><\/p>\n

Giving a damning report on Sri Lanka\u2019s failure to take adequate action against human rights violations during the conflict and amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), United Nations Special Untitled-1Rapporteur on Human Rights and Countering Terrorism Ben Emmerson yesterday warned that the international community is running out of patience and called on the Government to fast-track its reconciliation measures. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be a point that the international community reaches the end of its patience, and then a range of consequences could befall Sri Lanka,\u201d Emmerson said at a media briefing to mark the end of his visit to Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe possible range of repercussions is a matter of international diplomacy and predictions, and depends on how far things go and how far along the path it is going. It depends on whether or not it enacts the counter terrorism legislation that meets international standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Emmerson spoke to the media at the end of a four-day visit here during which he met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers, heads of the armed forces, the Attorney General as well as those detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).<\/p>\n

He warned the country is at risk of having its newly regained GSP+ facility revoked if significant progress is not observed on the reconciliation front. A host of other restrictions may be imposed on Sri Lanka if the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) commitments are not met, he added. <\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as potentially increasing the various measures by the Human Rights Council or indeed a reference to the Security Council, there is a range of measures increasing in severity that are potentially available for the international community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Emmerson also stressed that the country is being held accountable for commitments made by Sri Lanka. He went as far as calling individuals who seek to characterise them as demands imposed by international community and the UN as \u201csilly, misguided\u201d and said that they lacked in the information that is necessary to evaluate the situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are not commitments imposed externally, but commitments Sri Lanka undertook,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

Emmerson claimed that even after two years on and another four months into the extension period granted, the progress displayed is \u201cslow,\u201d and observed that efforts \u201cseems to have ground to a virtual halt\u201d. He said that steps adopted by the country in fulfilling its commitments which he emphasised were voluntary, \u201care adequate to ensure real progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is little evidence that perpetrators of war crimes committed by members of the Sri Lankan armed forces are being brought to justice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Emersson was also critical of the \u201cdeplorable delays\u201d in processing the cases of detainees held under PTA, stressing that the Government should take steps to release those held under the PTA act without a trial \u201con bail immediately, or bring them to trial within weeks or months, not years or decades.\u201d <\/p>\n

Stating that torture is \u201cendemic and routine for those in custody\u201d, Emmerson was severely critical of the Government\u2019s lack of progress in repealing the current PTA. The number of features in the proposed legislation to be adopted in place of the PTA also came under severe criticism, including the provision making confessions extracted by a police officer while in custody admissible in court.<\/p>\n

Claiming Sri Lanka\u2019s record in torture in custody is one of the worst in the world based on his six years of experience in the current capacity, Emmerson said that the \u201conly means by which counter-terrorism legislation could conform to international human rights standards would be the prohibition altogether of the use of confessions made to the police.\u201d <\/p>\n

Critical of the process followed by the Government to draft the new legislation he said that many he spoke to \u201cexpressed dismay at the lack of ministerial, parliamentary or public consultation.\u201d <\/p>\n

Emmerson also pointed out that the proposed law lacked provisions to deal with modern terrorism trends such as the prevalence of Foreign Terrorist Fighters in this part of the world.<\/p>\n

Calling progress made in adopting the new legislation \u201cpainfully slow,\u201d which has lead to delays in a wider package of transitional justice measures in the country, he claimed that the situation \u201creflects the continuing influence of certain vested interests in the security sector, who are resistant to change, and above all, to accountability.\u201d <\/p>\n

However, Emmerson commended the undertaking by the Government to engage in a process of constructive dialogue with the team in Geneva in an effort to improve the draft legislation before it is placed before Parliament.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is still time to get this legislation right, and for it to become the cornerstone of a new order in Sri Lanka,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Stressing on the need to support the Government, Emmerson urged different sections in the ruling coalition to unite to achieve goals set in the UN Human Resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need now to be uniting behind the Government, all those within the Government who are committed to delivering peace,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

However, he was not confident that the country would be able to deliver its undertaking within the stipulated timeframe. When asked if he would recommend another extension, he said \u201call of that, we will have to look at at the end of the current extension. But there comes a point where patience runs out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Courtesy:Daily FT<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Chathuri Dissanayake Giving a damning report on Sri Lanka\u2019s failure to take adequate action against human rights violations during the conflict and amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), United Nations Special Untitled-1Rapporteur on Human Rights and Countering Terrorism Ben Emmerson yesterday warned that the international community is running out of patience and called …<\/p>\n

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