Türk: Sri Lanka must seize opportunity to ‘break with entrenched impunity’
The UN’s top human rights official Volker Türk on Wednesday welcomed the Government of Sri Lanka’s pledge to “break from the past” and deliver justice for crimes stemming from the country’s long-running civil war which ended in 2009.
Mr. Türk’s comments coincide with a new report from his Office calling for the release of prisoners held for decades, under prevention of terrorism legislation.
The High Commissioner also called for a “comprehensive roadmap” from the authorities so that other key commitments are fulfilled, such as restoring the rule of law and eliminating discrimination.
From the 1970s to 2009, armed conflict between Tamil Tiger guerilla fighters and the Sri Lankan army left tens of thousands of people missing.
Measures such as ensuring that those responsible are finally held accountable are crucial to ensuring that there “can never be recurrence of past violations”, Mr. Türk said.
With more details, here’s Jeremy Laurence from the Office of the UN rights chief:
“This process should start with a clear and formal acknowledgment of the violations, abuses and crimes that occurred, including during the civil war, of the responsibility of the State and security forces personnel, as well as non-state armed groups such as the LTTE, and of the enduring impact of this violence on victims and communities. The pain and suffering of victims remains palpable and their demands for truth and justice must be addressed.”
Uganda urged to release opposition leader on bail: UN Human Rights
Staying with the UN human rights office, which has expressed serious concern at repeated denials of bail in Uganda for opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his associate Obeid Lutale.
Both individuals have been denied bail three times since they were abducted in neighbouring Kenya and returned to Uganda last November.
With more, here’s UN rights office spokesperson Liz Throssell:
“In dismissing their latest request, the High Court found them ineligible for mandatory bail merely on the ground that they had been detained in civil prison for less than the 180 days required to qualify for release on mandatory bail. It did not account for their prior deprivation of liberty following their abduction and forced return. We urge the authorities to reconsider the decision and grant them bail, and to ensure that any legal proceedings against them are fully in line with international human rights law.”
The UN human rights office in Uganda closed its operations there in 2023 after the Government decided to end cooperation with the High Commissioner’s Office.
At the time, Mr. Türk expressed concern about the run-up to the 2026 elections, amid an increasingly hostile environment impacting human rights defenders, civil society actors and journalists.
Other UN human rights mechanisms also condemned laws criminalizing same sex relations and their call for the use of the death penalty for convicted offenders.
Myanmar: Hunger surging in Rakhine state, warns WFP
Hunger is surging in Myanmar’s Rakhine state the UN World Food Programme, WFP, has warned, after a worrying spike and rising malnutrition rates there.
In a call for more humanitarian support for the people of Rakhine, the UN agency said that they faced a deadly combination of conflict, blockades and funding cuts.
In 2017, hundreds of thousands of mainly Muslim ethnic Rohingya fled Rakhine for neighbouring Bangladesh, to avoid attacks and persecution by Myanmar’s military.
Today, the country is in turmoil as civil war continues to rage, following a military coup in 2021.
WFP says that there are “alarming levels of food insecurity” in central Rakhine, with nearly six in 10 families unable to eat enough.
Alarmingly, the situation in northern Rakhine is much worse because of active conflict and access issues.
Despite dwindling resources, WFP continues to work to resume limited lifesaving support in the worst-hit areas.
Aid teams need unimpeded humanitarian access and $30 million to help 270,000 people in Rakhine for the next six months.
Daniel Johnson, UN News.
Source of original article: United Nations (news.un.org). Photo credit: UN. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.globaldiasporanews.com).
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