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Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 October 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 November 2018 (named day). It was answered by Mark Field (Conservative) on Monday, 5 November 2018 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart on protecting the Tamil minority during the current political unrest in that country.

Answer

​I am deeply concerned by the developing political situation in Sri Lanka. The FCO has called on all parties to ensure that the constitution is respected and due political and legal process upheld. I have urged the President on 29 October, in consultation with the Speaker, to reconvene parliament immediately to give the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people their voice.

The UK is committed to the full implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1, under which Sri Lanka committed to implement a range of measures to provide for human rights, truth-seeking and reconciliation following the end of its civil war. I encouraged Foreign Minister Marapana, officials and others to continue to make progress on these commitments when I visited Colombo in October 2018. Our High Commission in Sri Lanka regularly travel to the North and East and meet with local groups, and where we have specific human rights concerns we raise these with the Sri Lankan government.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
185493
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Armed conflict Protection Sri Lanka Tamils
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk