UN Human Rights Committee asks Sri Lanka to repeal Constitution's 18th Amendment

The United Nations Human Rights Committee, while welcoming several measures taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure human rights of its citizens, has asked the government to repeal the 18th Amendment to the Constitution approved by the parliament in September 2010.

Presenting the Concluding Observations on the fifth periodic report of Sri Lanka, the UN human rights treaty body, which reviewed Sri Lanka on October 7 and 8, said the committee is concerned by the 18th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution which, inter alia, discontinues the Constitutional Council and empowers the President to dismiss or appoint members of the judiciary and other independent bodies.

The committee, according to the Lanka Page web site, asked the government to take legislative and other measures to ensure transparent and impartial processes for appointments to the judiciary and other independent bodies.

It further said the government should take concrete measures to ensure the protection of members of its judiciary from improper influences, inducements, pressures, threats or interferences, including those of the executive and/or legislature of the State party.

Addressing the issue of former combatants, the treaty body noted the measures taken by the government for the rehabilitation and reintegration of former combatants but said it remains concerned at reports of arbitrary surveillance, torture, detention, enforced disappearances and sexual violence against them.