‘Adopt A Comprehensive Transitional Justice Strategy With Clear Timelines’: UN Expert Tells Sri Lanka

The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff said yesterday that Sri Lanka should adopt a ‘comprehensive transitional justice strategy’ with ‘clear guidelines’ for the implementation of the different transitional justice mechanisms.

Addressing reporters at the conclusion of a fourteen-day fact-finding mission de Greiff highlighted the establishment of Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms, The Consultation Task Force and the Office on Missing Persons but said slow progress would erode trust in the government’s capacity to move forward with reforms.

The Special Rapporteur, while castigating the state of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, within the country as deplorable for a country of a middle income stature, called on the government to expedite the implementation of a comprehensive transitional justice system on accounts that such a move would satisfy the rights of minorities.

A full report on the UN expert’s findings will be released at a near date.