The European Union has expressed "very serious concerns" about human rights violations in Sri Lanka and warned that existing trade concessions could be at risk if the rights abuses continue. The EU also requested diplomatic access to Vanni to deliver key messages to the Liberation Tigers.
“The EU continues to harbour very serious concerns about continuing reports of human rights abuses," said a statement issued at the end of a three-day visit by a six-member group representing the EU's current president Slovenia and future president France, as well as the European Commission and the EU Council of Ministers.
Speaking at a media conference at the European Commission office in Colombo, representatives from the EU reiterated their concern over the human rights situation in the country.
“Respect for human rights is one of the key principles underpinning Sri Lanka's relations with the European Union” said Janez Premoze, head of the three-member EU delegation.
“Nonetheless, the EU continues to harbour very serious concerns about continuing reports of human rights abuses” Premoze told reporters.
Trade concessions at risk
The statement issued on Tuesday, March 18, also warned of the possibility of the EU withholding trade concessions from Sri Lanka due to the island's worsening human rights record.
The delegation noted Sri Lanka's key clothing export industry has benefited by doing business with the EU, where trade concessions are given based on sustainable development and good governance.
Sri Lanka’s existing tariff concessions end this year and nations wishing to renew must show high labour, environment and human rights standards when they reapply.
James Moran, Asia Directorate at the European Commission linked trade concessions to human rights record and said that the extension of the GSP-plus concessions for Sri Lanka were yet to be considered.
He further added that concession requests would only be assessed when the concerned countries reapplied for the facility by October this year and would be governed by objective criteria including linkage between trade preferences and Human Rights.
Regret over IIGEP exit
Delegation head, Premoze, expressed regret that the Independent International Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) had decided to terminate their work with the Presidential Commission of Inquiry because of concerns about its compliance with international standards and institutional lack of support for the work of the Commission.
“The EU underlines the seriousness of calls by the IIGEP and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for the government to deliver concrete results through taking cases to court,” he said.
IIGEP, headed by P. N. Bhagwati, a former Indian Chief Justice, was invited by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to monitor the workings of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, set up in November 2006 to investigate 16 of the most serious rights abuses.
But the IIGEP resigned en masse in late February after declaring it was unable to carry out its work. Meanwhile, the Commission of Inquiry has yet to prosecute anyone in any of its 16 cases.
Access to Vanni
Mr. Premoze also said the EU remained committed to its present role as one of the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo process and, therefore, continued to believe in the importance of guaranteeing access to Killinochchi for diplomats.
He insisted that the Sri Lankan government should allow the Co-chairs of the 2002 peace process and the Norwegian facilitators to travel to the LTTE administered Vanni to meet the LTTE leaders to deliver key messages – including a request to resume the peace process, to observe humanitarian access and to respect human rights.
However, according to local reports the Sri Lankan government had rejected the EU request, citing the prevailing security situation in the areas administered by the LTTE, which is under attack by the military.
The EU delegation which was in Sri Lanka for three days met, among others, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry Secretary, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman APRC, President’s Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the leader of the Opposition and leaders of other political parties including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance.
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| EU Troika Director for Asia and External Relations James Moran warned that renewal of Sri Lanka’s trade status is jepordised over human rights abuses. Photo Sanka idanagama/AFP/Getty Images. |
Speaking at a media conference at the European Commission office in Colombo, representatives from the EU reiterated their concern over the human rights situation in the country.
“Respect for human rights is one of the key principles underpinning Sri Lanka's relations with the European Union” said Janez Premoze, head of the three-member EU delegation.
“Nonetheless, the EU continues to harbour very serious concerns about continuing reports of human rights abuses” Premoze told reporters.
Trade concessions at risk
The statement issued on Tuesday, March 18, also warned of the possibility of the EU withholding trade concessions from Sri Lanka due to the island's worsening human rights record.
The delegation noted Sri Lanka's key clothing export industry has benefited by doing business with the EU, where trade concessions are given based on sustainable development and good governance.
Sri Lanka’s existing tariff concessions end this year and nations wishing to renew must show high labour, environment and human rights standards when they reapply.
James Moran, Asia Directorate at the European Commission linked trade concessions to human rights record and said that the extension of the GSP-plus concessions for Sri Lanka were yet to be considered.
He further added that concession requests would only be assessed when the concerned countries reapplied for the facility by October this year and would be governed by objective criteria including linkage between trade preferences and Human Rights.
Regret over IIGEP exit
Delegation head, Premoze, expressed regret that the Independent International Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) had decided to terminate their work with the Presidential Commission of Inquiry because of concerns about its compliance with international standards and institutional lack of support for the work of the Commission.
“The EU underlines the seriousness of calls by the IIGEP and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for the government to deliver concrete results through taking cases to court,” he said.
IIGEP, headed by P. N. Bhagwati, a former Indian Chief Justice, was invited by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to monitor the workings of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, set up in November 2006 to investigate 16 of the most serious rights abuses.
But the IIGEP resigned en masse in late February after declaring it was unable to carry out its work. Meanwhile, the Commission of Inquiry has yet to prosecute anyone in any of its 16 cases.
Access to Vanni
Mr. Premoze also said the EU remained committed to its present role as one of the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo process and, therefore, continued to believe in the importance of guaranteeing access to Killinochchi for diplomats.
He insisted that the Sri Lankan government should allow the Co-chairs of the 2002 peace process and the Norwegian facilitators to travel to the LTTE administered Vanni to meet the LTTE leaders to deliver key messages – including a request to resume the peace process, to observe humanitarian access and to respect human rights.
However, according to local reports the Sri Lankan government had rejected the EU request, citing the prevailing security situation in the areas administered by the LTTE, which is under attack by the military.
The EU delegation which was in Sri Lanka for three days met, among others, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry Secretary, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman APRC, President’s Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the leader of the Opposition and leaders of other political parties including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance.
