The government yesterday(October 06) announced that a new National Action Plan approved by the Cabinet for the protection and promotion of Human Rights would assist to achieve reconciliation among the communities while not allowing the terrorism to resurface.

Addressing the media on the National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries and the Special Envoy of the President on Human Rights, said Sri Lanka will update the progress of the Plan at the United Nations Human Rights Council in March next year.

He said the Plan was prepared in a transparent manner and developed through a participatory process involving government and civil society. When it was submitted to the Cabinet for approval and formal adoption, it was adopted with amendments made by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The five-year action plan will be implemented under eight sections including civil and political rights, social economic and cultural rights, rights of abstinence from torture, women and children rights.

The Plan will be implemented by different ministries and institutions while an inter-ministerial committee will monitor the process.

The government expects to strengthen civil liberties and ensure better human rights compliance through the implementation of the Plan. It will be distributed to all ministries tomorrow.

The Minister further said that the National Action Plan will be submitted to the UN Commissioner of Human Rights Navi Pillay, INGOs, NGOs, Diplomatic Missions and other respective officials.

Meanwhile, Mohan Peiris, the former Attorney General, who was a member of the delegation that addressed the 18th sessions of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last month, said measures are underway to include the Human Rights studies in the school curriculum.