Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is awarded the 2019 Common Ground Award for her vision and commitment to peace and reconciliation
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka’s first and only female President, was awarded the 2019 Common Ground Award for her vision, courage and commitment to peace and reconciliation by Search for Common Ground at a reception organized in her honour on Monday 17 June 2019 at the Cholmondeley Room, House of Lords in London. The former President received the award from Roza Otunbayeva, the 2018 Common Ground Awardee and the first female President of Kyrgyzstan.
The event was attended by Her Majesty Queen Noor al-Hussein, Honorary Chairwoman of Search for Common Ground UK who in her address commended former President Kumaratunga for her work in peace building and reconciliation, and for her steadfast commitment to democracy. Mme Kumaratunga in her address dedicated her award to ‘the hundreds and thousands who are the unsung heroes of the struggle for peace, understanding amongst all beings’. She also remarked that in the fight against terrorism, ‘it may be more productive to use the weapons of understanding, discourse and negotiation’, ‘coupled with an honest intent to resolve the root causes of each relevant conflict.’ Former President Kumaratunga is the Chairperson of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR).
The distinguished gathering included Lord Stone of Blackheath; Shamil Idriss, CEO of Search for Common Ground; its UK Board of Trustees chaired by Lord Purvis; UK Minister of State at the Department of International Development Dr Andrew Murrison; Envoys of Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan in the UK; members of the House of Lords and Commons; and civil society.
Search for Common Ground is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Washington D.C. and Brussels, whose mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict away from adversarial approaches toward cooperative solutions. Previous winners of the Common Ground Award include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former US President Jimmy Carter, and former President of Kyrgystan Roza Otunbayava.
Sri Lanka High Commission
London
25 June 2019
Sri Lanka Updates HRC on Human Rights Measures taken to advance Human Rights, Peace and Security
The Sri Lanka delegation to the Human Rights Council briefed the Council today on progress made in addressing human rights concerns, national security imperatives, as well as reconciliation priorities. Sri Lanka’s intervention under Agenda Item 2 of the Council, followed the Oral Update provided by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Madam Michelle Bachelet at the opening of the 41st Session of the Human Rights Council on 24 June 2019, where a reference was made to Sri Lanka.
Clarifying the latest situation in the Country following the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks and its aftermath, Sri Lanka stated that it has made significant progress in assuring the security of all Sri Lankans and upholding law and order through the implementation of relevant laws and legal processes, among other important measures.
Sri Lanka further asserted that the national institutions in Sri Lanka continued to make interventions on issues pertaining to violence and extremism, as the Government pursued effective measures that have led to the dismantling of terrorist networks in the Country.
Statement is attached.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
25 June 2019
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Statement by the Delegation of Sri Lanka on the Oral Update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at 41st Session of the HRC
Mr. President, distinguished delegates,
We are pleased to take the floor under Agenda Item 2 in relation to the Oral Update presented by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Madam Michelle Bachelet, to the 41st Session of the Human Rights Council.
We share with the High Commissioner the broad concerns expressed on several important issues where human security and human rights are at stake. We note in this context, a number of significant comments made on the role of the national human rights institutions, implementation of a strategy and action plan on hate speech, rights of migrants and statelessness, as well as concerns relating to the use of digital technology to the detriment of human rights. These are areas where we would continue to extend our cooperation to the respective human rights mechanisms in advancing further dialogue and positive outcomes.
Mr. President, in her Oral Update, the High Commissioner also referred to the current developments in Sri Lanka, and in this regard, we wish to draw the attention of this Council to the following points: