S-11/L.2 Draft decision on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka

UNITED NATIONS

A

General Assembly Distr. LIMITED

A/HRC/S-11/L.2 25 May 2009

Original: ENGLISH

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Eleventh special session 26 May 2009

Austria*, Belgium*, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria*, Canada, Chile, Cyprus*, Czech Republic*, Denmark*, Estonia*, Finland*, France, Germany, Greece*, Hungary*,

Ireland*, Italy, Latvia*, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland*, Romania*, Spain*, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden*, Switzerland, United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland: draft decision

S-11/... Draft decision on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka

The Human Rights Council,

1. Takes note that the Sri Lankan Government announced the end of hostilities in the

North of Sri Lanka;

2. Deplores the significant loss of human lives and suffering in the context of the

current situation;

* Non-member State of the Human Rights Council.

GE.09-13351

A/HRC/S-11/L.2 page 2 3. Unequivocally condemns all attacks that the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil

Eelam) launched on the civilian population and its practice of using civilians as human shields;

4. Urges the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate fully with humanitarian

organizations, including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross by

ensuring full, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to all persons in need

throughout the country;

5. Recalls that States have the primary duty and responsibility to provide protection and

humanitarian assistance to all segments of the population, including Internally Displaced Persons

(IDPs), without discrimination;

6. Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure the freedom of movements of IDPs,

access to safe drinking water and sanitation, as well as other human rights such as the right to

food and the right to the highest attainable level of health;

7. Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to facilitate the safe return of IDPs to their

homes as soon as is practically possible and following on to its commitment to return 80% of

IDPs for their home by the end of the year;

8. Calls on the government of Sri Lanka to step up its efforts for the rehabilitation of

former child soldiers in cooperation with relevant United Nations agencies and urges the

Government of Sri Lanka to take all feasible measures to ensure the demobilization and effective

disarmament of children used in armed conflicts and to implement effective measures for their

rehabilitation, physical and psychological recovery and reintegration into society, in particular

through educational measures, taking into account the rights and the specific needs and

capacities of girls;

9. Urges the Government of Sri Lanka to continue strengthening its activities to ensure

that there is no discrimination against ethnic minorities in the enjoyment of the full range of

human rights;

A/HRC/S-11/L.2 page 3

10. Welcomes the cooperation of Sri Lanka with the thematic special procedures of the

Council, encourages the government to strengthen its cooperation with them in addressing

the current situation;

11. Is gravely concerned by violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian

Law committed during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka and their impact on the civilian

population especially women, children and vulnerable groups;

12. Stresses the importance of combating impunity and calls on the government of Sri

Lanka to investigate all allegations and bring to justice, in accordance with international

standards, perpetrators of violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law,

including hostage taking, torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial, summary or

arbitrary executions, and to increase its efforts to further prevent such violations;

13. Urges the international community to support reconstruction in Sri Lanka and calls

on the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure an inclusive process of post-conflict

reconstruction;

14. Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to take measures to ensure full respect for the

right to freedom of opinion and expression and protect human rights defenders, and

effectively investigate allegations of attacks on journalists, media personnel and human

rights defenders and prosecute those responsible;

15. Welcomes the visit of the Secretary General of the United Nations to Sri Lanka and

encourages the government of Sri Lanka to cooperate with the Council and other relevant

bodies to address the human rights and humanitarian situation, including through increased

technical assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights;

16. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to report to the

Council, at its 12th session, on the progress made towards the implementation of this

decision.

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