|
FOREIGN AID & SRI LANKA'S
MILITARY EXPENDITURE
Sri Lanka Aid Group Meeting
Paris, February 7, 1992
Statement by EU Presidency on the Political and Human Rights
situation in Sri Lanka, for inclusion in the Community's intervention in the Sri
Lanka Aid Consortium Meeting
On behalf of the representative of the country currently holding the office of
EC Council Presidency I have been asked to make a statement on behalf of the
Community and its member States regarding the human rights situation in Sri
Lanka.
Members of the aid consortium will recall that at their last meeting, the then
EC Presidency representative made a statement drawing attention to the EC
demarche of 19 October 1990 on this subject. That statement firmly backed the
Sri Lankan Government's attempts to cope with terrorist challenges, but urged
the Government of Sri Lankan, inter alia, to observe the international
obligations it has entered into in the field of human rights. I would
further like to recall that the Council and its members states adopted a
resolution dated 28 November 1991 on human rights, democracy and development
which among other things, states that "human rights and democracy form part of a
larger set of requirements in order to achieve balanced and sustainable
development."
Since then the European Community and its member States have continued to follow
events in Sri Lanka closely. We have welcomed the Sri Lankan Government's
commitments to promote a peaceful, negotiated solution to the North-East
conflict and are dismayed that those opposed to genuine compromise and
consensus, not least the LTTE, have obstructed the path of dialogue.
We continue to urge the Government of Sri Lanka to provide the necessary
leadership, inter alia, through the Select Committee, to arrive as soon as
possible at a peaceful, political resolution to the conflict which would allow
Sri Lanka to achieve its potential of rapid economic and social development. An
escalation of the armed struggle will not be conducive to a lasting solution of
the conflict in the North and East.
The European Community and its member States share the opinion of the
Government of Sri Lanka that a lasting solution to the conflict in the North and
the East can only be found through negotiations, and call upon the Government of
Sri Lanka, all political parties and the LTTE to make every effort to initiate
new negotiations. Any joint request for good offices in support of this
endeavour would also merit positive consideration.
May I also underline the importance we attach to the role of NGO's in the
development, democratic and ethnic reconciliation process. The European
Community and its member States hope that the activities of the Presidential
Commission of Inquiry in respect of Non-Governmental Organisations will not
jeopardise the right to freedom of association as provided in Article 22 of the
International Covenant on Civil Rights and Political Rights of 1966, to which
Sri Lanka has been a party since 1980, and shall in particular not impair the
functioning of NGO's active in the field of human rights.
Mr Chairman, situations of civil conflict inevitably make the observation of
human rights more difficult. But stability and the rule of law are essential to
economic development. While the Community and its member States have condemned
the continued atrocities and abuses committed by the LTTE and other terrorist
groups, they have also expressed gravest concern about human rights violations
committed by the Sri Lankan security forces, and in particular, evidence of
extra judicial killings and disappearances perpetrated by so-called death
squads. At the last meeting, we urged the Sri Lankan Government to prevent such
violations.
The Community and its member States remain concerned about continuing
reports of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka and once again urge the Sri Lankan
Government to ensure that such violations are halted. We note, however, that
instances of such abuses have substantially diminished and that the Government
is actively promoting a political dialogue with the donor community in Sri
Lanka. We greatly welcome this development.
We also welcome the various measures adopted by the Government of Sri Lanka
to curb human rights abuses and to invite international organisations to visit.
We welcome the establishment of the various commissions of inquiry, the human
rights task force, the acceptance of recommendations by Amnesty International
and the visit by the UN Working Group on Disappearances. We urge the speedy
achievement of credible and tangible results and the continuation of these
efforts, in particular, the resolution of a number of well-known outstanding
cases.
We wish to reiterate that the magnitude and thrust of future assistance will
depend, among other factors, on the Government's performance in this regard, and
on the importance given to the role of NGO's. In conclusion the Community and
its member States, supporting Sri Lanka's economic development, recognise the
steps taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in the field of human rights, and
look forward to a continuation of the process.
|
