PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Sri Lanka: Human Rights (21 April 2017)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he is having with his counterpart in Sri Lanka on implementation of UN Human Rights Council resolutions relating to human rights in Sri Lanka.

Asked by:
Wes Streeting (Labour)

I met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Samaraweera at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 28 February. I also wrote to both the Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on 20 April. In the meeting and subsequent letters, I recognised the Sri Lankan government's efforts to improve the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. I also welcomed their co-sponsorship of UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1. I encouraged accelerated progress towards fulfilling the commitments their government made in co-sponsoring Resolution 34/1 and raised the importance of the return of all military-held private land, the delivery of devolution through constitutional reform, the establishment of credible transitional justice mechanisms and the development of new counter-terrorism legislation in line with international human rights standards.

The UK is committed to the full implementation of Resolution 34/1 and will continue to support the Government of Sri Lanka in its efforts to promote reconciliation and human rights.

Answered by:
Lord Sharma (Conservative)
26 April 2017