UN HR boss here next month
by Manjula Fernando
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein is due to
visit Colombo in mid February, before the HRC's March regular sessions
this year. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said his visit mid next month
has been confirmed. Arrangements for his visit will be handled by the UN
office in Colombo. An advanced team which came prior to UN High
Commissioner Navi Pillai's visit in September 2012 is not expected for
Zeid, the spokesman said.
Zeid has commended the government but maintained that there were many
unresolved issues connected to the conflict which ended in May 2009.
"The government did not alter the stance on cooperation with the
investigation, nor did it admit the investigation team into the country.
However, it has engaged more constructively with me and my office on
possible options for accountability and reconciliation," he said,
presenting a report on Sri Lanka last September.
His September 2015 proposal to set up an 'ad hoc hybrid special
court, integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and
investigators mandated to try notably war crimes and crimes against
humanity,' still stands. He proposed this special court should have its
own independent investigative and prosecuting organ, defence office and
a witness and victims protections program.
The High Commissioner is expected to raise the issues of occupied
land, detainees and woes of the displaced and the proposed domestic
mechanism to investigate war crimes allegations during his forthcoming
visit.
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