IndustriALL Global Union (IGU) calls on Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to intervene against enacting Sri Lanka Counter Terrorist ACT (CTA) with certain provisions detrimental to human rights and trade union rights.
of IndustriALL Global Union (IGU) represents more than fifty million workers in 140 countries, including Sri Lanka.
In a letter to Ms. Mona Rishmawi Chief of the Rule of Law Section United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, General Secretary OF IGU Valter Sanches has expressed grave concern over the possible adoption of a law in Sri Lanka that would impinge on human rights and trade unions rights.
He noted that affiliated unions of IGU in Sri Lanka have called the IGU’s attention to the current discussions in Parliament on the draft Counter Terrorist ACT (CTA), which contains provisions, such as Section 03(1)(b), (c), and Section 03(2) (d), (f), and (j), that could be used against any civil society organizations, including trade unions, expressing any kind of opposition to a government policy.
This law would represent a serious threat to fundamental workers and trade union rights, particularly in the current context in which the government is trying to push for labour reform (Single Labour Law), which unions are legitimately opposing, he claimed.
Furthermore, the Counter Terrorist ACT (CTA) signifies an even greater threat to the promotion, protection, and respect of human rights for all than the current Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The proposed CTA would constitute a serious breach of the pledge made by the Government of Sri Lanka in co-sponsoring Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1, which “Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to review the Public Security Ordinance Act and to review and repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and to replace it with anti-terrorism legislation in accordance with contemporary international best practices, he pointed out.
Equally important, the Resolution reaffirms that “States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism complies with their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, as applicable.”
Given the gravity of the situation, IGU has urged the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to engage with the Government of Sri Lanka to call on them to fulfill strictly their human rights international obligations, including HRC Resolution 30/1.
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