Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Milne, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) Australia's co-sponsorship of the:

(A) 2012 United Nations (UN) General Assembly Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution calling on the Sri Lankan Government to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission of Sri Lanka and to take credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity, accountability and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans, and

(B) 2013 UN General Assembly HRC resolution expressing concern at continuing reports of violations of human rights in Sri Lanka, and reiterating the call on the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the commission's recommendations and to fulfil its commitment to conduct an independent and credible investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,

(ii) reports of continuing violations of human rights in Sri Lanka; intimidation of and reprisals against human rights defenders, members of civil society and journalists; threats to judicial independence and the rule of law; and a rapid rise in violence and discrimination on the basis of religion or belief in Sri Lanka, and

(iii) the High Commissioner for Human Rights' conclusion that national mechanisms have consistently failed to establish the truth and achieve justice in Sri Lanka, and her recommendation That the HRC establish an international inquiry mechanism to further investigate the alleged violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law and monitor any domestic accountability processes; and

(b) calls on the Australian Government to:

(i) maintain Australia's strong record of support for human rights at the 25th session of the HRC, and

(ii) join with the United Kingdom and the United States and other co sponsoring nations and commit the Australian Government to the strongest possible support to the draft HRC resolution A/HRC/25/L.1.