Parallel Information on the Situation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Sri Lanka

Submitted to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, on the occasion of the review of the fifth periodic report of the State of Sri Lanka

61 Session (29 May 2017 - 23 Jun 2017)

Submitting organisations:

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ParallelinformationsubmittedtotheCESCRontheoccasionoftheconsiderationofthefifthperiodicreportofSriLanka

1. ThepresentparallelinformationissubmittedbyFranciscansInternational(FI,anNGOingeneralconsultativestatuswiththeUNECOSOC),theHumanRightsOfficeofKandyandNationalFisheriesSolidarityMovement(NAFSO).Itispartlybasedonthesubmissionthatthe Sri Lanka Ecumenical Coalition for UPR 20171 prepared for the Universal PeriodicReview(UPR)ofSriLankatotakeplaceatthe28thSession(November2017).

2. The above-mentioned organisations are aware of and support the information alreadyprovided to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (hereafter theCommittee)inthecomprehensivecollectivereportpreparedbycivilsocietyorganisationsunder the coordination of the Law and Society Trust.2 The submitting organisationswelcometheopportunity tosubmit thisbriefparallel informationthatbringsadditionalandspecificinformationconcerningthreatstoandviolationsofanumberofsubstantiverightsguaranteed inthe InternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights(ICESCR).

3. Whileofferingspecificcases,illustrativeofbroader,structuralissuesthatimpedethefull

realization of economic, social and cultural rights, the present information aims atproviding elements of replies to the questions posed to the State of Sri Lanka in theCommittee’s Listof Issues (LoI).Thesectionshereafter thus follow thestructureof theLoIandwheneverrelevantrecallthespecificquestionstowhichtheinformationprovidedcorrespondsto.

I. Generalinformation

5. PleaseprovideinformationontheimpactofthemeasurestakenbytheStatepartytopreventandaddresscorruptionintheacquisition,occupationandsaleoflandandpropertyby themilitary,members of political parties and civil servants. Please also provide relatedstatisticson reported casesof acquisitionof landandoccupationofpublic facilitiesby themilitaryandcasesofdistributionoflandownedbyrefugeesandofforestlands.

4. TheTamil&MuslimcommunitiesintheNorthernandEasternProvincesarestillaffectedbytheconflictbetweenthegovernmentandLTTEdespitetheendofthewar,especiallythe communities whose traditional villages are still occupied, such as in Mullikulam,

1 Religious and Priests for Human Rights, Alliance for Justice, Human Right Office Kandy, National Christian EvangelicalAllianceofSriLanka,FranciscansInternational(FI),DominicanforJusticeandPeace,CongregationofLadyofCharityoftheGoodShepperd,theWorldEvangelicalAlliance(WEA)andMaristInternationalSolidarityFoundation(FMSI).2TheStateofEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights inSri Lanka:A JointCivil SocietyShadowReport to theUnitedNationsCommitteeonEconomicSocialandCulturalRights,April2017,availableat:http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CESCR/Shared%20Documents/LKA/INT_CESCR_CSS_LKA_27228_E.pdf

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Pallimunai (Mannar district), Kepapulavu, Murippu (Mulaitivu district), Myletty, KKS,(Jaffna district) in the Northern Province; and in Ashrofnagar and Paanama (Amparadistrict),Santhoshapuram(AdhivasiCommunity)andSampur(Trincomaleedistrict),intheEasternProvince.Although somepartsof the landshavebeen released in the last twoyears following social protests, some communities are still desperately waiting for themilitarytoleaveandallowthemtoreturntotheirhomes,lands,livelihoodsandlifestyle.Even the people who were resettled in areas such as, Valalai and Mavittapuram inVallikamamNorth,arelivingamidstmilitarycampsandhavenotbeenprovidedadequatefacilities and reparations for up to a quarter century ofmilitary occupation anduse oftheirlandsandhouses.

5. DuringFI’s fieldvisit totheNorth inFebruary2017,repeatedallegationswerereceivedthat there are heavymilitary presence and involvement in a range of civilian activitiesincluding,shops,restaurants,hotels,tourism,bakeries,boatservices,farms,pre-schoolsetc. A close surveillance by the Sri Lankan military of communities’ peaceful protestscouldalsobeobserved.

Recommendation6. Consideringthepersistingissuesmentionedabove,thesubmittingorganisationsurgethe

SriLankangovernmenttocommittoatime-boundplanandtoitsswift implementationtoendthemilitary'soccupationandinvolvementincivilianandeconomicactivities.ThegovernmentshouldalsocommittofullyrespecttherightsofinternallydisplacedpersonsincompliancewiththeICESCRandwithotherinternationalstandards,includingthoseonreturn,resettlementandreintegrationenshrinedintheUNGuidingPrinciplesonInternalDisplacement; as well as on property restitution and housing as enshrined in the UNPrinciplesonHousingandPropertyRestitutionforRefugeesandDisplacedPersons.3Thisshouldconstituteafundamentalelementofanytransitionaljusticeprocess.

II. IssuesrelatingtothespecificprovisionsoftheCovenant(arts.6-15)

Righttojustandfavourableconditionsofwork(art.7) 15. Please provide information on the impact of measures taken to protect migrantworkers from the State party against trafficking, exploitation and violence in receivingcountriesandtoprovideassistancetovictimswhohavereturnedtotheStateparty.

7. Within thecountry, sex trafficking inbrothels continues to representa severeproblem

affecting bothwomen and children in particular. Boys aremore likely than girls to beforcedintoprostitutionincoastalareasforchildsextourism,particularlyintheSouthandSouthWest.4 Some child domestic workers in Colombo, generally from the Tamil teaestatesector,aresubjectedtophysical,sexualandmentalabuse,aswellasnon-paymentof wages and restrictions of movement indicators of labour trafficking.5 While the

3Respectively:UNGuidingPrinciplesonInternalDisplacement(1998),UNDoc.E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2;andUNPrinciplesonHousingandPropertyRestitutionforRefugeesandDisplacedPersons(2005),UNDoc.E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/17.4 http://www.ecpat.org.uk/sites/default/files/end_of_the_line_2006.pdf 5https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/258876.pdf

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governmentdidultimatelyratifythePalermoProtocolontraffickinginpersonin2015,itseffectsareveryinsignificant.

8. The government demonstrated limited progress in law enforcement efforts to addresshumantrafficking.AlthoughthegovernmenthasStandardOperatingProcedures (SOPs)for the identification of victims, officials’ ability to implement these procedures andensure victimswere not jailed or penalized for crimes committed as a direct result ofbeingsubjectedtohumantraffickingremainedweak.Thelackofcapacityandknowledgeof the government officials in regards to the issue of human trafficking resulted in afailure to charge theperpetratorsunder theanti-trafficking statute, thus rendering theissueofhumantraffickinglargelyunnoticedordeniedwithinthecountry.

9. Provisions for victim protection is inadequate. There is no proper protection and

rehabilitationmechanism for the victims of trafficking and for childrenwhohave beensubjectedtochildlabourandchildtrafficking.Thereisalsoalackofadequateassistanceforthevictimsoftraffickingwhoreturnfromothercountries.

Recommendation10. The government of Sri Lanka should provide capacity building for law enforcement

officials in regards to early identification, referral to other relevant authorities,rehabilitationandsocialintegrationinordertoimproveaccesstoshelters,legal,medicalandpsychosocialassistance,aswellastotakeconcretemeasurestopreventtraffickinginperson;protectthevictims,bringthose involvedto justiceandfinally,addressthe legalgapsthatimpedetheprosecutionoftraffickersunderthePenalCode.

Protectionoffamilyandchildren(art.10)

19. Pleaseprovideinformationontheoutcomeoftheimplementationofthe2016roadmapontheworstformsofchildlabour,includingstatisticaldataonprosecutionsagainstandpunishment for exploitation of children in labour relations. Please provide information onobstacles to the eradication of exploitation of children in domestic work, agriculture andmanufacturingsectors.

11. Since2012,theNationalChildProtectionAuthority(NCPA),whichisundertheMinistryofWomenandChildAffairs,tookseveralinitiativessuchas,establishinga24-hourhotlinetoreceive complaints on child abuse and child rights violations; educational initiatives toempower children to protect themselves; and the establishment of child protectioncommittees.Nevertheless,thegovernmenthasnotyetapprovedthedraftNationalChildProtectionPolicy,intendedtoensureeffectivecoordinationamongallorganizationsandindividualsworkingfortheprotectionanddevelopmentofchildreninSriLanka.

12. DuringFI’smissiontoSriLankainFebruary2017,variouscivilsocietyactorssharedtheirexperiencesandconcernsabout thealarmingsituationofchildren inSriLankawhoareengaged in child labour, including in agriculture anddomesticwork. There areno lawsregulatingemploymentinthirdpartyhousehold,whichleaveschildrenbetweentheages

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of14-18,employedasdomesticworkershighlyvulnerabletoexploitation.Althoughtheminimum age for compulsory education is 14 years, children from Malayaha Tamilarcommunity(oftenlivinginestates),andintheruralareasareoftennotabletocompletetheir10thstandardofeducationasaresultofseveralfactors including,poverty, lackofteaching staff, transportation to schools and sanitation. In many estates, there areschoolsonlyupto8thstandard.

13. FI also received reports of children being employed as domestic workers due to debt

bondageandofchildrenfromteaplantationsectorbeingtraffickedinternallytoperformdomesticworkinColombo.Somechilddomesticworkersaresubjectedtophysicalsexualand emotional abuse.6 Children, predominantly boys, are trafficked internally forcommercialsexualexploitationincoastalareasaspartofthesextourismindustry.

14. Social protection for children who need care and protection has been substantially

neglectedinthecountry.Thestateprotectionremainsfocusedontheinstitutionalizationofchildren.Thelackofacoherentnationalpolicyonthedeinstitutionalizationofchildrenmeanschildrenvictimsofabuseandneglect,childrenwithdisabilitiesandchildrenlivingin poverty continue to be institutionalized. A recent study found that of the 14,179childrenininstitutionalcare,50%ofthechildrenhadasingleparentwhile32%havebothparents.7 Many of these children could be reunited with their families, but Sri Lankacurrentlylackstheprogramsnecessarytohelpreunitechildrenwiththeirfamilies.

15. Thecultureof impunity thathasbeenaggravatedbydeficient investigationsconducted

bythepolice,thelongdelayoftheprocessingofchildabusecasesinthejusticesystem,aswellas theweaksentencingofperpetratorscontinuetoremainsomeof thebiggestchallenges in tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation. It can take as long as sevenyearsormoretoprosecutecriminalswhoabusechildren,8thusthedelayhastraumatizedthousandsofchildrenwhosecasesarestruck in thecourts.Manyof thesechildrenareforced to reside in safehousesaway from their families.Often times, appearing in thecourt room is a traumatizing experience for the children. The education of judges,lawyers and prosecutors regarding the appropriate handling of sexual violence casesremainsapriority.

16. There isaneedfor furthercoordinationandcollaborationamongdifferentgovernment

agenciesinaddressingtheissueofchildlabourinSriLanka.Inparticular,thereisalackofcoordination between the Department of Probation and Childcare, the National ChildProtectionAuthorityandChildrenandWomenBureausinaddressingthisissueinamorecoherentandsustainableway.

Recommendation

17. In light of the information above, the submitting organisations recommend the

government of Sri Lanka to adopt a National Child Protection Policy that provides an

6 Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2016; 45(1): 1-2 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v45i1.8060 7https://www.unicef.org/srilanka/Current_Childcare_Analysis_book_Final.pdf 8 See the mission report to Sri Lanka of the UN Special Rapporteur on the independent of judges and lawyers

A/HRC/35/31/add.1 para 56.

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effective framework and guidance to relevant institutions, including educational andlabour inspectorate to prevent and address child labour. In addition, Sri Lanka mustaddressthegapsinthejudicialsystemtoensurethehandlingofcasesofchildabusesincompliancewithinternationalhumanrightsandruleoflawstandards.

Righttoanadequatestandardofliving(art.11) 21. Pleaseprovideinformationontheprotectionoftherightsoflandownersandusersinthecaseoftheacquisitionoflandforpublicpurposes.Pleasealsoprovideinformationontheoutcome of the work of the committee that was established to investigate evictions andresettlements carried out by the Urban Development Authority, including information onreparationsprovidedtovictims.

22. Please provide an update on the strengthening of the legal, procedural and policyframework for the protection of the rights of internally displaced persons. Please alsoindicate howdisputes are resolved relating to livelihood, land andhousing rights betweenreturnees(internallydisplacedpersons)andthosewhohadsettledontheirland.

18. In the following, the submitting organisations share with the Committee a number ofspecific situations that theHumanRightsOffice inKandy is followingand inwhich it isproviding support, including legal counsel. These “cases” are illustrative of structuralissues that shall beaddressedby thegovernmentof Sri Lanka soas to complywith itsobligationsundertheICESCR.

19. The specific situations highlight a larger problem relating to the State’s approach inaddressing land issues intheconflict–affectedareas. Inthepost-warcontext,anumberof State agencies, particularly the Military, continue to occupy land that is owned orclaimed by civilians.While theGovernment has released some lands in theNorth andEast,multiple communities including, civilians in Central province, cannot reclaim theirland and thus are completely disenchanted by the Government’s approach to landrelease: fromthe largelySinhalese families inPanama (Ampara)andMuslim families inAshrafNagar(Ampara)andSilavathurai(Musali)toTamilcommunitiesacrosstheNorth(not limited to Mullikulam in Musali), such as Telipallai in Jaffna and Kepappulavu inMullaitivu. The continuing occupation and claiming of land by multiple State agenciesfuels fears, particularly those of minority communities, that the State is seeking todispossessmultiplecommunitiesoftheirlands.

20. The way land issues have been dealt with also raises grave questions about theadherenceoftheGovernmenttoitsownNationalPolicyonDurableSolutionsforConflictAffectedPersonswhichwasapprovedby theCabinet in June2016. InSectionVII.2 thepolicy clearly identifies the problem of state actors including, the Forest and WildlifeDepartments, gazetting lands without consultations of district level actors and localcommunities and a process to review and to adopt a transparent and consultativeprocesstoresolveindividualdisputes.

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ThecaseofMaberitenna/Kandyarea

21. Maberitenna is an estate owned by the government National Livestock DevelopmentBoard (NLDB). There are around 300 families living in the estate. In May 2014, theprevious government initiateda project to build a domestic airport and the estateworkerswereasked to relocate.Theywerepromised tobegiven landwithin the sameestatebytheNLDBandwerealsoaskedtovacatethehouseswhile theair forcecampwasbuilt.Atthebeginningoftheconstructionwork,theblastingoftherocksdamagedseveralhouses.

22. On2July2014,theestateworkersweregivenaplanofthenewlocationonwhichtheywere going to be resettled and the numbers of the allocated lots were given to eachfamily. A ceremonywas evenorganised duringwhich the newplotswere given to thepeople. Hence, people started to identify their respective plots, clearing the land andsomealreadyfencingthem.

23. When the new government came into power in 2015, theHousingMinistry under theleadershipofMrSajithPremadasaannounceda loanscheme(10000SriLankanRupeestoeachfamily)tobuildahousewithtworooms,kitchenandatoilet.However,sincethemoneyhadtoberepaidmonthly,noneofthefamilieshavetakentheloan.Wereceivedinformationonanallegation that theNLDBhadcollectedRs500 fromeach familyasafundtobuildhouse.

24. However, in theabsenceof thenecessarymeasures fromthegovernment in2016, theestatemanagementaskedpeoplenottobuildhouses.Asaresponsetothissituation,theleader of theworkers’ union submitted a complaint on 20May 2016 at the Teldeniyapolice station (CIB 2 223/ 274) to denounce the prohibition to build houses and toannounce that they would proceed with clearing the lands that were given to them,especially sinceseveralof theirhouseshadbeendamaged.Themanagerwascalledbythepoliceandaskedtogivedetailswithinamonth.Nevertheless,therewasnoresponseandnofollow-up.

25. On 27 March 2017, 181 families had gone to clean the land allocated to them. Themanager called the police to stop them. Since the ParliamentarianMrVelukumar waspresentatthesiteandtheworkerscouldshowthedocuments,thepoliceofficersdidnotstopthework.

26. Yet,theTeldeniyapoliceofficerslatersummonedtwoworkers,MrRajagopalandMrA.Caixtus,tocometotheTeldeniyapolicestation.Whentheyarrivedatthepolicestationaround10:45a.m.on28March2017, theywereverballyabusedby thepoliceofficersandwerearrested.

27. The three-wheel driverMr C. Sandana Raja who brought the two workers andMrM.Sathgunam who accompanied them in another three-wheeler, went into the policestationafterwaitingforsomehourstofindoutwhytheywerelatetoreturn.However,totheir surprise theywerealso arrestedanddetainedafter thepolicehad spoken to themanager over the phone. The four men were thentaken by a jeep to Teldeniya

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MagistrateCourts around 2.15 p.m. and were produced in court for trespassing andtryingtoforciblyoccupythestateland.

TheCaseofMusali/Eastarea

28. The people ofMusali (Muslims, Tamils and Sinhalese) have been living in this area forhundredsofyearsinsomeinstancesanddecadesinothers,exceptfora30-yearabsencewhenmostwereforcedtofleeduetothewar,includingtheMuslims,whowereevictedby the LTTE in1990.Theyare largelypeasant farmersanddependentona landbasedeconomy that includes paddy cultivation and cattle farming. Yet, the recently declaredforest boundary denies them access to their residential, agricultural and cattle grazinglandslocatedinthe“declaredforestarea”.Inadditiontolandownedandusedbypeople,additional land that is required for natural growthof thepopulationand livelihoodwillalsobelost.

29. Under the gazette notification, some 40,030 hectares are to be included into theexpandedMavillu Forest Reserve that will bifurcate theMusali division, disconnectingMusali South andMusali North communities, bothMuslim and Tamil, that have beenhistorically connected. It createsdiscreteenclavesofpeople, isolating them, restrictingtheirmobilityandlimitingsocialinteraction.Theforestboundarygoesalongthebordersof the houses of the people, fencing them in those enclaves andmaking the human-animalconflictagravedangertothepeople,alreadyundergreatstress.CommunitiesinMusalihavebeenstrugglingtobuildtheirlives,homes,livelihoodsandcommunitiesbutthe limitedassistanceandresourceshaveresulted inseverehardshipsand lowratesofpermanentreturn.Onlyabout40%oftheMusaliSouthdisplacedhavereturned,andthecurrentdeclarationwillplaceaseverestressonthereturnoftherestofthecommunityandfurtherdeterthegrowthofthecommunityintheregion.

30. The plight of the displaced from and returnees toMusali is on a continuumwith theplight of other displaced communities in the region. It is important to note that thecompetingclaimsbetweenforestprotectionandresettlementarenotuniquetoWilpattuanditsnorthernboundary.AcrosstheNorthandEasttherearesimilardisputesincludingKaruvepakulam (Othiyamalai, Oddusudan DS, Mullaitivu), Kiran Komari and Vegamam(Pottuvil DS Ampara) and Mailattamadhu Mathavani (Koralaipatttu South Batticaloa)wherereturningcommunitiesfindthatlandtheyusedandclaimedhasbeendemarcatedasprotectedareasforforests,sometimesevenwithouttheconsultationofdistrict levelofficialsresponsibleforlandadministration.

TheCaseofMullikulam/Mannararea

31. On8September2007,theentirevillageofMullikulamwasunceremoniouslyevacuatedby theMilitarywith the promise of enabling their returnwithin three days. Ten yearslater,thesevillagersareyettobeallowedtoreturntotheirhomesandengageintheirtraditional livelihoods. Since their eviction from Mullikulam in 2007, the Navy North-WesternCommandHeadquartershasbeenestablishedthere,occupyingtheentiretyoftheirvillage.Adecade-longrelentlessstrugglecomprisingofmultipleprotests,petitions,discussionsand falsepromises,havebrought thevillagersback to thestreets.Theyare

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inspiredby thestoriesofothervictims fighting for their rights,andsupportedbymanyothers,irrespectiveofreligiousorethnicbackgrounds.

32. ContinuedprotestsbreakingoutacrosstheNorthandEastanddemandingthereturnofmilitary-occupiedland,aswellastruthandjusticeforthedisappeared,appearstohavebreathed new life into the struggle of the people ofMullikulam. Their only wish is toreturntotheirvillage,illegallyoccupiedbythemilitarysince2007.

33. Currentlythereareapproximately120familiestemporarilyresettledinMalankaadu,and150familiesinKayakuli.About100families(includingextendedfamily)leftforIndiaduetowaranddisplacement,butarewaitingtoreturniftheirvillageisreturnedtothem.

34. When the villagers left in 2007, there were about 100 houses in good condition andabout50otherself-mademudandthatchedhouses.TherewerealsoaChurch,theco-operativebuilding,threeschoolbuildings,apre-school,twohospitalbuildings,a library,post-office,theFisherman’sCo-operativeSocietybuilding,ateacher’squarters,sixpublicandfourprivatewells,andninetanks.

35. Now,theyhavenoaccesstothetanks,publicspacesandlimitedaccesstosomeoftheircultivationland.Only27ofthe150housesremaintothisday,andareoccupiedbyNavypersonnel.Villagersclaimthattheresthasbeendestroyed.TheNavyalsoprovidesadailyschool bus to take children to and from school which teaches only up to Grade 9.Thereafter,childrenhavetogotoothernearbyschoolsontheirown,orstayathostelsiftheschoolsaretoofaraway.

36. The Mullikulam people were primarily a farming and fishing community, so theirproximitytotheseawasessential.TheyhadaccesstoninePaadu(karavalaiinTamil–aterm referring to a type of easement or license) to fish for prawns and other shallowwaterfish.Nowtheyonlyhaveaccessto4,withthemostfertilePaadubeingcurrentlyunderNavycontrol.WhenthevillagerswereevictedfromMullikulamin2007,theyhadto leavebehind64 fiberglassboats,out-boatmotors,netsandropesandother fishinggear,aswellas90Theppams(Catamarans)and3drag-nets.

37. TheHumanRightsCommissionofSriLankaconcludedthattheNavyhadoccupiedprivatelandwithout dueprocess andhad recommended that if providing alterative lands, thepeople’s willingness should be considered and they should not be forced to settleelsewhere.

38. TheDivisionalSecretaryandhisrepresentativevisitedthepeopleon23March2017,andtold them that theywon’t achievemuchbyprotesting.Theyhadasked thevillagers togivethemaletterwiththeirdemands,promisingthattheywouldhanditovertohigherauthoritiesforaction.MostofthelandsinthevillageareownedprivatelybyindividualsandtheCatholicDioceseofMannar.TherestofthelandsareheldthroughpermitsandgrantsundertheLandDevelopmentOrdinance(LDO),State landsandNationalHousingDevelopmentAuthority(NHDA)lands.

39. On 29 April 2017, the Navy commander has promised to release the land, house andpaddyfieldandwatertankswithinsixmonths.However,thepeoplearestillnotallowed

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toreturntotheirland,thustheyarenowtryingtore-organizetheprotestastheyhavenotrustinthenewpromisesmadebytheNavycommander.

Recommendation

40. The Government of Sri Lanka should take all the measures necessary to find durablesolutions for the communities who have been displaced due to internal conflicts,development projects, or natural disasters. These measures may include, appropriatereturntotheoriginallands,orresettlementandcompensationasprescribedinrelevantinternational standardson the rightsof internallydisplacedpersons,and incompliancewith international standards including those contained in article 11 of the ICESCR. Inaddition, the submitting organisations call for the immediate and effectiveimplementationofaNationalPolicyonDurableSolutionsforConflictAffectedPersons.

SpecialConcern:Prisonconditionsandarticle11and12oftheICESCR

41. InSriLanka,theissueofprisonovercrowdingremainsextremelyalarming,especiallyduetothedelayoftrialsandofappealcases.Itmustalsobenotedthatalthoughthedeathpenaltyisnotimplementedandnoexecutionshavetakenplace,deathsentencesarestillbeinghandeddownbycourts.Thereareonly3prisonsthatholdmorethan700prisonerswhoaregivendeathsentencesthatarenotimplemented.

42. Usually only two to three prisoners are supposed to be detained in one prison cell,howeverduetothelackofspaceeachsmallcellispackedwith60-75prisonersincluding,prisonerswithlifeimprisonmentanddeathsentences.DuringarecentvisitoftheHumanRights Office of Kandy to the Kandy Bogambara-Dumbara prisonward - D, it could bedocumentedthat74prisonersweredetainedinonecell(2mx0.7m),whilethatasmanyas55-60prisonersweredetainedinanothersinglecell.

43. Remand prisoners are languishing in prisons for years without trial, therefore thispresents serious issues for both remand prisoners and for prisoners with sentences.Some key concerns include access towater and sanitation: during the dry season, theprisonersonlygetoneortwobucketsofwaterforadayforwashing,bathingandtouseatthetoilet.Thereareonly2-3toiletsfor50-75inmates.

44. In termsofaccess tohealthservice, theprisonershaveonlyaccess todoctorswhoareassignedtoprovidemedicinetoprisonersbytheministryofhealth.Onlyminorailmentsaretreatedbythem.Theprovisionofmedicaltreatmentsandhealthcareremainshighlyproblematic for persons deprived of liberty and theHuman RightsOffice in Kandy hasdocumentedseveralcasesofviolationsoftherighttohealthandlifeof individualswhoweredeniedaccesstodoctorsandmedicalcareinplacesofdetention.

45. ThecaseofMs.AnjelaCroos(33yearsold)describedhereafterisonlyoneinaseriesofcasesdocumentedbytheHumanRightsOfficeinKandy.Ms.CrooswasayoungEnglishteacher and was imprisoned for 2 years at the Raja Veediya remand prison in KandyunderthePreventionofTerroristAct(PTA).MsCrooswasteachingatTeldeniya,BopitiyaNawalarestateTamilschoolwhenshewasarrestedon10August2009.MsAnjelaCroos

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sufferedfromLupusandwasonmedicationatthetimeofherarrest.However,untiltheSupremeCourtorderedtheprisonauthorities toallowMsCroos toconsultherdoctor,shedidnotreceiveanypropertreatment.

46. OntheinstructionsoftheAttorneyGenerals’department,thehighcourtjudgeinKandyfinallypronouncedthatMsAnjelaCrooswasinnocentandshewalkedoutoftheprisonon 15March 2011. However,Mr Anjela Cross soon fell ill since she was not properlyreceiving treatment for her sickness during her period of detention. After beinghospitalizedfor3weeksattheintensivecareunitinKandygeneralhospital,AnjelaCroospassedawayon24October2012.

Recommendation47. The government of Sri Lanka shall ensure that persons in place of detention shall be

guaranteed access to adequate water, sanitation and health care in compliance witharticles11and12oftheICESCR.Inadditiontodevelopingeffectiveplanstoimprovetheconditions of detention through better infrastructures and services available in thepenitentiary system, Sri Lanka shall also address the issue of massive prison over-crowdingandofarbitrarydetentions.

Culturalrights(art.15)

27. Please inform theCommitteeof theobstacles to the implementationof theofficiallanguagepolicy,includingregardingthetranslationoflawsintotheofficiallanguagesandthemandate of the Official Languages Commission. Furthermore, please provide examples ofcaseswhereindividualshavesuccessfullychallengedtheavailabilityandaccessibilityofpublicservicesintheirlanguages.Pleasealsoprovideinformationonregulatoryandorganizationalmeasurestakensubsequenttorelateddecisions.

48. The Tamil language gained recognition as an official language through the 13thAmendment to the constitution.9 While this was a welcome move by the thenadministration,theprovisionasenshrinedintheconstitutionisyettobefullyrealized.ItisonlyintheNorthernandEasternprovincesofSriLankathatsomegovernmentofficialsare able to perform their administrative duties in the Tamil language.While there hasbeen some recruitment of Tamil-speaking police officers, and some training of policeofficers inTamil,thesituationremainshighlyunsatisfactory.EveninthemajorityTamil-speakingNorthandEast,manypolicestationsareunabletoreceivecomplaintsinTamilas the personnel are entirely Sinhala-speakers. This contributes to the discriminationagainst theethnicTamilminorityand to the inabilityof the latter to fullyenjoyvariousrights.10

913thAmendmenttotheConstitution,14thNovember1987,s.2.10 It is important to note that the various language policy changesmade by successive administrations historically, havecontributed to current ethnic challenges. The introductionof the SinhalaOnlyAct in 1956,whichdeclared Sinhala as the

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49. Ethnic Tamil groupswho resideoutsideof theNorth andEast provinces, are even lessable to access and interact with public administrations and services in Tamil, eitherthrough correspondence or in person. Furthermore, informational material offered bypublicinstitutionsisscarceintheTamillanguage.11

50. While the Public Administration Circular No. 3 and 7 of 2007 promote the bilingualservicesofthepublicsector, it isofconcernthatnopositiveactionisenvisagedfortherecruitmentofTamil languagespeakers toprovincialgovernmentsoutsideof theNorthand East, to redress their under-representation in the public sector and to includeminoritycommunitiesintopublicadministration.12

51. The Official Languages Commission is under-resourced, unable to inspect andmonitorimplementation of the official languages law and unwilling to take legal action againstuncooperativepublicinstitutions.Presently,thereisaNationalCo-ExistenceandOfficialLanguageMinistry,however,thepoliticalwilltoeffectivelydealwithlanguageissueshasbeen largelymissing.Furthermore, ithasnotbeendecentralizedwithofficesoutsideofColombo.

52. The lack of Tamil-language translators in the public service violates the right of Tamil-speakerstoengagewiththeadministrativeserviceinTamil.Tamil-speakinggovernmentofficersintheNorthandEasthavemadecomplaintsthatcircularsissuedbythecentralgovernmentappearinSinhalaonly.

53. EthnicTamilestateworkersfinditdifficulttoapplyforsocialsecuritybenefits(EmployeesProvidentFundandEmployeesTrustFund)due to the lackofadequateTamil-speakingofficers in the Labour Department. In addition, Tamils outside the North and East areunable to have births, deaths or marriages registered in the Tamil-language asgovernmentofficersarepredominantlySinhala-speakersorlackthetechnicalresources.

54. The Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, following her mission to Sri LankacommentedonthedifficultyforTamil-speakingpeopleintheNorthandEasttoengagewith State officials and State institutions in the language they prefer.13 For instance,whenwomenfromminoritycommunitiesapproachlocalChildrenandWomen’sBureauDesks to report cases of domestic abuse, they face difficulties owing to languagebarriers. This results in unwillingness on the part of victims to report incidents ofviolence.14

Recommendation

officiallanguageoftheState,wasthemostdevastatingofthesepolicies;resultingintheexacerbationofexistinggrievancesanddeepeningtheethnicandlinguisticdivide.Thiswasalsoacontributingfactortowardsthecountry’scivilwar.11TheCentreforPolicyAlternativesfiledacomplaintagainsttheColomboMunicipalityCouncilin2012,totheHumanRightsCommission regarding building permits not being issued in Tamil: https://www.cpalanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/3rd-Edition-Vibhasha-English.pdf12Annual Report of the National Language Commission 2006.More than 50% of the officers representedmatters at theLanguageAuditswerenotawareoftheConstitutionalProvisionswithregardtotheOfficialLanguagesPolicyorthedirectivesissuedbythegovernmentonthesubject.Duetothisreasonnameboards,signboards,directionboardsetc.appearedonlyinonelanguageinmostoftheDivisionalSecretariatsaudited.13 Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues on her mission to Sri Lanka, 31st January 2017, pp. 7 14Ibid

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55. TheGovernmentofSri Lanka shouldensureaneffective implementationof theOfficialLanguagesPolicythroughtherecruitmentofbilingualpublicofficialsineverygovernmentinstitution.TheGovernmentshouldalsofullycommittotheprotectionoflanguagerightsas set forth in the National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of HumanRights,andinaccordancewithitsinternationalhumanrightsobligations.