MEDIA BRIEFING

Commonwealth must live up to its values

5 November, 2013

ommonwealth Human Rights Initiative will not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) this year, due to the human rights situation in the host nation. Our position is that CHOGM should not e held in !ri "an#a, nor should the $resident of !ri "an#a e%ome Chairperson&in&Offi%e of the Commonwealth until !ri "an#a %omplies with Commonwealth values. 'e are therefore re(uesting that all Commonwealth Mem er !tates) pu li%ly e*press dissatisfa%tion with !ri "an#a as a venue for CHOGM+ re%onsider the level of representation to the offi%ial meeting+ demand that !ri "an#a not e allowed to %hair the Commonwealth+ and use CHOGM to pressurise !ri "an#a to a%%ept pre%ise time ound %ommitments to uphold its international human rights o ligations and ta#e effe%tive steps to ensure a%%ounta ility for the %redi le allegations of war %rimes. SPOTLIGHT SRI LANKA

I.

,he Commonwealth has repeatedly reaffirmed its %ommitment to upholding the %ore values of demo%ra%y, human rights and rule of law. However, there are a num er of serious %ontinuing violations of these values in !ri "an#a, e*amples in%lude) Separation o Powers) $residential term limits have een removed and the power to appoint the highest state ureau%rats and the -udi%iary has een vested in the $resident. In!epen!en"e o the #u!i"iar$) ,he !upreme Court of !ri "an#a and independent international e*perts have held that the impea%hment of Chief .usti%e /andaranaya#e, in .anuary 0123, was illegal. %ilitarisation& 4our years after the end of the war ,amil regions %ontinue to e disproportionately militarised. ,he military %ontrols large tra%ts of private land, plays a dominant role in the %ivilian administration and la%#s independent oversight. 'ree!om o ()pression) 5oi%es %riti%al of the authorities in !ri "an#a have een su -e%ted to threats, intimidation and violen%e. More than 31 -ournalists have died sin%e 0116 and the Government has een a%%used of widespread harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders.

II.

H(ALTH O' TH( CO%%ON*(ALTH 'un!in+& ,he Canadian $rime Minister has threatened to review their funding & as the se%ond largest donor this will e disastrous for the asso%iation. !imilarly, the 78 has

5 November 2013

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MEDIA BRIEFING redu%ed its %ontri utions, reportedly organisations dire%tion. y 93 Million %iting %on%erns a out the

,nit$& ,he %hoi%e of venue for CHOGM has led to divisions within the Commonwealth. %em-ership& ,he fa%t that ,he Gam ia was allowed to manoeuvre itself to a point where withdrawal was the est option shows a failing in terms of organisational support for its mem ers. Relevan"e& /y failing to prote%t its %iti:ens the Commonwealth is demonstrating its la%# of relevan%e. Commonwealth me%hanisms remain insuffi%ient for responding to human rights a uses. Relu"tan"e to Re orm) ,he Commonwealth is in need of drasti% reform. ,his was re%ognised and an ;minent $ersons Group was esta lished to re%ommend the way forward. 7nfortunately resistan%e from Mem er !tates and the Commonwealth leadership prevented many of these re%ommendations from eing implemented. One su%h re%ommendation was the esta lishment of a Commonwealth Commissioner for Human Rights.

III.

CHRI.s R(PORT TO CHOG% /012

CHRI<s 0123 report to CHOGM, The %issin+ Lin3& A Commonwealth Commissioner or Human Ri+hts, asserts that an alarming gap remains etween Commonwealth promises and reality and unders%ores the need for the Commonwealth to restore its relevan%e to Mem er !tates y appointing a Commissioner for Human Rights. ,he report %alls for a politi%ally neutral human rights e*pert to fa%ilitate the adoption of transparent pro%edures within the Commonwealth and to serve as a sour%e of information and advi%e, allowing for timely and effe%tive organisational a%tion and etter&informed de%ision ma#ing. =ow more than ever efore there is value in the appointment of a Commonwealth Commissioner for Human Rights, who will re uild the %onfiden%e of its people and ensure a renewed, relevant and sustaina le Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth is at a crossroads; it must decide whether to conclude its efforts at renewal with a bang or allow the organisation to end with a whim er, graduall! fading into irrelevance while its eo le suffer"# $ Ma-a >aruwala, >ire%tor, CHRI.

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4i!$a 4en3at %e!ia an! Communi"ations O i"er Commonwealth Human Ri+hts Initiative 56117 Sarvo!a$a (n"lave8 New 9elhi617 :;1 <011= >21?0//>. vi!$a@humanri+htsinitiative.or+ www.humanrightsinitiative.org ,witter.%om@%hriAint The Commonwealth %uman &ights 'nitiative is an international N() with a mandate from the Commonwealth of Nations and consultative status at the *nited Nations, wor+ing toward the ractical realisation of human rights in the countries of the Commonwealth"

5 November 2013

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