29 March 2012 Kathmandu, Nepal
(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)
The People’s SAARC urgently calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to respect fundamental principles of democracy and ensure human rights
We, the representatives of civil society, from all the South Asian countries are seriously concerned about the personal safety and political freedom of human rights defenders, journalists and political activists in Sri Lanka in the back drop of increasing international concern on the situation in Sri Lanka especially vis-à- vis the resolution on accountability for war crimes adopted by the recent 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
We call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to create an environment of peaceful co-existence and respect democratic dissent. It is in this regard that human rights defenders, journalists and political activists should be provided safety and security as is the duty of the state to her citizens. The Government of Sri Lanka must therefore ensure a free, fair and democratic society with respect for each and every person with or without common views.
The People’s SAARC calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to respect fundamental principles of democracy and ensure human rights, fully abiding by the SAARC Charter and all other international instruments of human rights to which it is a party. We strongly demand the Sri Lankan government to immediately stop the hate-campaigns through its media particularly towards human rights defenders and journalists and fully restore democratic rights.
People’s SAARC Secretariat
People’s SAARC Secretariat
P.O.Box: 8130, 288 Gairidhara Marg, Gairidhara, Kathmandu, Nepal. Telephone: +977-1-4004976, Fax: +977-1-4004508, Email: peoplesaarc yahoo.com, Website: www.peoplesaarc.org