Sri Lanka: Failing the Victims ( Video)

An Expert Assessment of the Sri Lankan Government’s Transitional Justice Effort

( March 1, 2017, Geneva, Sri Lanka Guardian) On 28 February 2017, the Monitoring Accountability Panel (“MAP”) will issue its Second Spot Report, which will coincide with the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council. In the 27-page report, the MAP’s international legal experts will outline their assessment of the Sri Lankan Government’s transitional justice efforts to date, and provide recommendations going forward.

Since co-sponsoring the UN Human Rights Council Resolution on « Promoting reconciliation » accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan President and Government Ministers have backtracked on their commitments to implement effectively the four transitional justice pillars. In particular, the Sri Lankan Government has reversed its own pledge to include foreign judges and prosecutors in a special war crimes court, and appears intent on ignoring legitimate recommendations of the Consultation Task Force.

On 28 February 2017, the MAP members will provide details of this report and answer questions from the press and public.