By Lucy McKernan 

Seventeen years after the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war, the latest report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, updates the current human rights situation in the country.

The government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took office in September 2024, promising justice for past rights violations. Yet, as the high commissioner’s September 3 report concludes, beyond progress in a few important cases, “there has been no recognition or accountability for crimes under international law, gross human rights violations, and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties” during the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which ended in 2009.

Human Rights Watch raised similar concerns in its September 1 report, which documented limited progress in some emblematic cases, but no movement in cases dealing with enforced disappearances, the killing of aid workers, or the targeting of journalists. The government has failed to follow through on its promise to establish an independent public prosecutor’s office, or undertake legal or structural reforms needed for accountability. The Dissanayake government has also not accepted the Sri Lanka Accountability Project, established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect evidence of serious rights abuses.

The Sri Lankan government still uses the repressive Prevention of Terrorism Act to harass and arrest human rights defenders, journalists, and families of victims. They face surveillance and questioning by state intelligence agencies, particularly in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The high commissioner’s report calls on the government to impose a moratorium on using the law pending its repeal, and to release people long detained under it.

The Sri Lankan government needs to urgently institute long-pending legal and structural reforms, repeal repressive laws, undertake comprehensive security sector reform, and take steps toward genuine reconciliation, or it risks further entrenching impunity and the trust deficit among victims.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should continue to monitor the Sri Lankan government’s progress on accountability for international crimes. UN member states at the Human Rights Council and other countries should press the Dissanayake government to follow through on its commitments to ensure truth and justice. Two decades on, the families of victims are still waiting. (HRW)

The post UN finds little progress on justice in Sri Lanka – HRW appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara says new projects by the ministry should be based on public access to justice, and not on the convenience of lawyers. 

The Justice Minister expressed these views yesterday (15) while participating in the inauguration of the newly constructed Puttalam Court Complex, which was built at a cost of Rs. 202 million. 

“Lawyers, please do not get angry with me. I am a lawyer too. When constructing buildings, we are not looking at how convenient it is for lawyers. But, the ability of the people to access justice should be considered when constructing court buildings,” he said. 

The minister further said that the government came to power to properly administer justice and ensure the rule of law.

He added that as long as this Government exists, the citizens and professionals of this country will be provided with the necessary facilities to perform their duties. (Newswire)

The post Justice Minister stresses public access over Lawyer convenience appeared first on Newswire.

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection approved the Mediation (Civil and Commercial Disputes) Bill during a meeting in parliament recently. 

The Committee convened under the Chairmanship of MP Najith Indika in Parliament last week (22).

Expressing views in relation to the presentation of this Bill, officials of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration stated that the Commercial Mediation Centres Act No. 44 of 2000, which was specially prepared to establish a centre for commercial mediation, could not be implemented due to certain technical reasons and limitations. 

Accordingly, they further pointed out that this new Bill has been drafted with the objectives of repealing the said Act, introducing minimum standards with regard to the conduct of commercial mediation, and providing the necessary legal framework to enforce mediated settlements through the court system, subject to prescribed regulations.

Although mandatory mediation has already been recognized as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism under the prevailing legal framework, the Ministry officials apprised the Committee that the participation in voluntary mediation remained minimal.

The officials further stated that it is important to introduce a statutory framework for voluntary mediation in civil and commercial disputes, whether when parties reach a mediation agreement, or when one of the parties voluntarily refers the dispute to mediation in the absence of such an agreement, or in circumstances where mediation is proposed by the court. 

They noted that such a framework would provide greater protection and bring meaningful development to the civil and commercial sectors of the country. Furthermore, they emphasized that voluntary mediation provides a valuable service to the legal system. (Newswire)

The post SOC on Justice approves Mediation (Civil and Commercial Disputes) Bill appeared first on Newswire.