SL remains a ‘Priority Country’ in UK HR report

Sri Lanka has achieved limited progress in the human rights situation and remains a priority country in the United Kingdom’s Annual Human Rights Report 2017, the British High Commission on Monday said.

In a statement, it said Sri Lanka is one of 30 ‘Human Rights Priority Countries’ (HRPCs); countries where the UK has serious human rights concerns and hopes to engage positively to develop human rights performance.

Particular concerns highlighted by the report include attacks on minority communities and the slow delivery of key human rights and reconciliation commitments.

“The UK remains concerned by the lack of progress on introducing legislation that protects women and LGBT people from discrimination. The UK works with the government of Sri Lanka to support reconciliation and human rights. This continued engagement aims to strengthen democracy and the rule of law through support for police reform, demining, inter-faith dialogue and mediation and the UN’s Peacebuilding Priority Plan,” the statement said.

The Report underlines the UK’s desire to work positively with countries to help them improve their human rights performance.

The 30 HRPCs are: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burma, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Libya, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.