UN members urged to provide Lankan war victims safety

UN member states have been urged to enter into agreements with Sri Lanka to relocate to their countries victims and witnesses who face serious?risk due to their engagement with the justice, truth or reparation mechanisms.

The request was made by Amnesty international in a written submission to the UN Human Right Council (UNHRC) ahead of the 34th session of the UNHRC in Geneva.

Amnesty international said that the UN must provide Sri Lanka with technical assistance and financial support for justice, truth and reparation?mechanisms that meet international standards; legal reform and other steps to ensure non-recurrence.

It urged the international community to emphasise to Sri Lanka the rights of victims to effective remedies, in particular effective access for women to justice,?truth and reparation, as well as guarantees of non-recurrence that address underlying causes of gender?and other discrimination.

“Insist that all mechanisms created coordinate and share information to ensure the effective delivery of
justice, truth, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.?Assist Sri Lankan authorities to establish an independent and effective system of victim and witness protection in line with international standards. Enter into agreements with Sri Lanka to relocate to their countries victims and witnesses who face serious?risk due to their engagement with the justice, truth or reparation mechanisms,” Amnesty international said.

Amnesty also urged UN member states to assist and support Sri Lanka to develop rigorous human rights vetting procedures for law enforcement agencies and the military for domestic purposes, and ensure and support the equally rigorous vetting of?all Sri Lankan personnel provided to UN peacekeeping operations, training or exchange programs.

It also urged the international community to provide Sri Lanka cooperation and mutual legal assistance to support efforts to prosecute persons suspected of crimes under international law or other serious human rights violations, subject to fair trial safeguards and?precluding the imposition of the death penalty. (Colombo Gazette)