Respect for IHL and fair conduct finest examples of the use of force
Sri Lanka's Security Forces in association with the Ministry of Defence
provide an intensive training on strict adherence to Human Rights and
International Humanitarian Law principles to all members of the armed
forces. The high sensitization of personnel in the services to these
concerns have had far reaching beneficial results despite a prolonged
armed conflict in the country. There is no record of widespread or
systematic abuse of women or children, no evidence of co-lateral damage,
no allegations of gross violations of human rights, directed against the
Sri Lankan armed forces thereby showing the direct correlation between
the intensity of the instruction and strict compliance with human rights.
The liberation of the Eastern Province by the Government Security forces
from the LTTE terrorists in 2006, in particular, stands as one of the
finest examples of the use of force by a belligerent party causing the
minimum of casualty among civilians or damage to property. Every effort
was made to avoid harm to civilians in military operations so much so
that on several occasions the pursuit of hostilities against the
adversary or taking a target was abandoned out of concern for civilians.
The success of the Government Security forces in complying with Human
Rights and International Humanitarian Law standards in armed conflict
situations, and deep seated professionalism in interactions with both
the adversary and civilians, owes much to the habits ingrained through
professional education in their training.
The Sri Lanka Army established the Directorate of Humanitarian Law in
1997 with the aim of instilling in all its cadres a respect for IHL and
fair conduct. In 2001, the Directorate was renamed as the Directorate of
Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. Thereafter the Directorate, in
collaboration with the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), has
conducted all awareness training programs on IHL for the Sri Lanka Army
personnel.
The Directorate employs a three tier plan of action. It comprises
(a) IHL & HL education for cadres,
(b) Developing capacity to continue, review and develop the
education process, and
(c) A Supervisory role of monitoring the IHL & HR records in Army
investigations and inquiries into allegations of infringements.
Five Year Training Programme on ML & HR
This is a significant training programme on IHL and HR for Sri Lankan
Army personnel that commenced in 2000 until 2005. The British High
Commission undertook initially the funding of the HR components of the
programme through the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) and Centre
for Human Rights Studies (CSHR) - University of Colombo, And at a
subsequent stage the HR component was financed by the Norwegian
Government via the Institute of Human Rights (IHR) in Sri Lanka. The
International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), continued to conduct the
IHL component throughout the programme.
The Programme instills a:
(a) Vision - " Voluntary and consistent compliance with IHL and HR
principles by all Army personnel and to ensure that the Army leads by
example ....
(b) Mission -" To transform the Army into a force that voluntarily
observes the principles of IHL & HR through training enhancement of
awareness and discrimination of knowledge in the field and thereby
minimizing IHL & HR " violations.
c) Goals -
(i) Pursuit of military objectives while complying with IHL & HL standards
(ii) Pledge of adherence to the Law of War
(iii) To produce Officer - Instructors and Senior Non-Commissioned
Officer Instructors in IHL and HR
(iv) To produce a core team of trainers in IHL and HR
(v) To introduce IHL and HR as another subject in military training
(vi) To produce IHL and HR training manual e.g. ` Soldiers Guide to the
Law of Armed Conflict' and `Selected Material on HR'
(vii) To develop HR training curriculums d) HR Training activities
This encomp***** Three distinct programmes
*
Field Training
*
Instruction at the Army Training Establishments
*
Field Seminars, Workshops, and Courses
(e) Military IHL and HR education focuses on changing values and
attitudes, behaviour, empowerment for social justice, develop attitudes
of solidarity across issues, communities and nations.
(f) Human Rights Cells
There is a network of Human Right Cells widespread in the Army. These
cells sup****t the HR monitoring and investigation process of the Army.
They were formed to ensure that HR were not violated during conflict
related operations. Each formation level of the Army is equipped with a
HR Cell. The Cells are required to educate troops on HR and any HR
violations, and also to monitor the HR situation and re****t to its
immediate officer in charge.
Sri Lanka Navy's Commitment to Promotion of Human Rights and
International Humanitarian Law Activities
SLN established a Sub - Directorate of HR and IHL on June 1, 2002 with a
mandate to:
(a) Provide advice and guidance on HR and IHL,
(b) Conduct training and awareness programmes, and
c) Disseminate information and liaise with various agencies dealing with
HR and IHL related work
* HR and IHL constitute an integral component of the induction training
courses, on -the -job training programmes, and mandatory courses
relating to promotion of naval persons.
Sound awareness and strict observance of international standards
relating to HR and IHL is a sine quo non for promotion and career
progress in the SLN
SLN has been assisted by the following organizations in their training
programmes on HR and IHL:
(a) Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights
(b) Sri Lanka Army
(c) UK Ministry of Defense
(d) Centre for the Study of Human Rights ( University of Colombo)
(e) International Committee of Red Cross f) Human Right Commission
* Innumerable instances of humanitarian assistance provided by SLN
particularly to civilians in the Northern and Eastern Provinces in all
areas of human endeavour in the last few years is strong testimony of
the remarkable benefits flowing to both the Navy and the community from
the intensive training on HR and IHL.
Examples :
(a) Medical treatment to civilians e.g. trans****tation of patients to
Kayts and Jaffna Hospitals in SLN vehicles despite various logistical
difficulties stemming from prevailing security situation
(b) Establishment of monitoring committees and ad hoc committees to
settle local disputes relating to fi****ng and other matters, fairly and
expeditiously
(c) Provision of assistance and sup****t to various Govt. agencies and
private sector groups in a variety of ways to expedite supply of food to
Jaffna
(d) Extending assistance to Hindu Kovils and Churches to hold religious
festivals and exercise freedom of wor****p
(e) Provision of food and employment op****tunity to the destitute in
conflict affected areas to uplift their living standards
--
For genuine Situation Re****t visit:
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk
http://www.defence.lk/
http://www.army.lk/index1.php
http://www.nmatnet.com/
http://www.sinhalaya.info/index-EN.php
Worth to look following to see how brutal Tamil Tiger Terrorists are
Child Soldiers of LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka
http://www.spur.asn.au/childwar.htm
Ethnic Cleansing in Sri Lanka
http://www.spur.asn.au/ethnic_cleansing_in_sri_lanka.htm
LTTE TAMIL TIGER ATROCITIES
http://www.spur.asn.au/ltteatrp.htm
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