Statement made by Harin Fernando, MP at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva
Madam President
I will highlight a few key issues that are indicative of the overall deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka.
My Parliamentary colleague Ranjan Ramanayake was sentenced to as much as four years and his civic rights removed imprisonment for alleged contempt of court which is not an offense defined in the law and had no right of appeal. The President has ignored requests including from the International Parliamentary Union to pardon Ramanayake so that he could resume his political work.
The cries of the victims of the Easter Sunday bombings for truth and justice continue to be in vain. The non-prosecution of negligent high officials gives rise to the suspicion that the real brains behind the attacks are been shielded. Instead, investigator Shanie Abeysekera dubbed the ‘Sherlock Holmes of Sri Lanka’, and Senior Police officer Ravi Seneviratne are being hounded and their lives are in danger.
The government is reluctant to make meaningful changes to the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act which facilitated arbitrary detention, torture, and convictions based solely on alleged confessions.
Citizens exercising their freedom of expression are been harassed. Civil society activists work under severe pressure. Militarization of the civilian administration is a characteristic of the government.
Ethnic and religious minorities live in anxiety.
Added to all this is economic mismanagement. The severe shortage of essential items, disruption of electrical supply, long queues for fuel, and the soaring cost of living are but a few of its consequences.
I call upon the international community to support the people of Sri Lanka whose human rights have been threatened as never before.
Thank you.