COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office
COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office
COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office
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SRI LANKA 7 MARCH <strong>2012</strong><br />
members of the government and have been called ‗traitors‘. Activists have been<br />
intimidated when carrying out their work and some received anonymous death threats.<br />
―There were also direct barriers to human rights organisations wishing to work in Sri<br />
Lanka. Some international human rights organisations were not granted visas to visit Sri<br />
Lanka in 2010. The government also cancelled visas for organisations working within<br />
Sri Lanka.‖<br />
15.09 The UN Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural<br />
Rights 276 , dated 9 December 2010, expressed serious concern ―… about widespread<br />
threats, attacks, defamation campaigns and various forms of stigmatization against<br />
human rights defenders in the State party as well as about illegitimate restrictions of<br />
their activities.‖<br />
Return to contents<br />
16. CORRUPTION<br />
16.01 The US State Department 2010 Human Rights <strong>Report</strong>: Sri Lanka (USSD 2010) 277 ,<br />
released on 8 April 2011 noted that:<br />
―The law provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did<br />
not implement the law effectively, and officials in all three branches of the government<br />
frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.<br />
―The mandate of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption<br />
expired during the year [2010] and had not been renewed by year's [2010] end.<br />
―Although members of parliament are asked to complete financial disclosure reports<br />
upon their election, there was no follow-up to ensure compliance, and little or no<br />
reporting ultimately was done.<br />
―There was no law providing for public access to government information.‖<br />
16.02 On 19 May 2011 the official website of the Government of Sri Lanka 278 reported that:<br />
―The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has<br />
recommenced investigations into complaints on alleged acts of bribery and corruption.<br />
―Complaints can now be forwarded in writing or in person, the Commission stated.<br />
―The Commission had been defunct since <strong>March</strong> 29, 2010 due to new appointments not<br />
being made after the Commission‘s term had come to an end.<br />
276<br />
UN Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights , dated 9<br />
December 2010 http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/docs/co/E.C.12.LKA.CO.2-4.doc date<br />
accessed 25 May 2011, p3<br />
277<br />
US State Department 2010 Human Rights <strong>Report</strong>: Sri Lanka (USSD 2010), released on 8 April 2011,<br />
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/sca/154486.htm , date accessed 11 May 2011, Section 4<br />
278<br />
Official website of the Government of Sri Lanka, Bribery Commission operational again, 19 May<br />
2011<br />
http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201105/20110519bribery_commission_operation<br />
al_again.htm date accessed 1 June 2011<br />
118 The main text of this <strong>COI</strong> <strong>Report</strong> contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 3 February <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section<br />
to 2 <strong>March</strong> <strong>2012</strong>.
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