Post COVID-19 economic growth and development are a priority for the Sri Lankan government and domestic private sector investment is essential to achieve those goals, the U.S. Ambassador Aliana B. Teplitz said.
“We continue to believe that, again, a private sector-led approach is going to be really essential. We need the finances that come with the private sector and I would argue, also, the innovation and flexibility that come with the private sector, Ambassador Teplitz said speaking at the 2020 AmCham AGM on September 29 .
Referring to remarks made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his speech to the UN that poverty alleviation through an agri-based production economy is a major goal of the government, Ambassador Teplitz said they have been working with AmCham to support these goals and with other businesses.
Teplitz pointed out that even with new economic possibilities opening up, there remain some structural issues that the government does need to address in order to attract more investment, not just Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) but domestic investment as well.
The Ambassador noted that high foreign investment levels are obviously a challenge going forward as low projected growth will be a challenge. Also the revenue losses due to essentially almost closure of the tourism sector and the tax cuts as well as impact of the pandemic on economy will be challenges.
“That means there’s a lot less with which the government, I think, has to work. Another reason why courting private sustainable high-quality investment has got to be a priority. There’s just not enough resources out there,” she emphasized.
Speaking of Sri Lanka’s World Bank Ease of Doing Business ranking, Ambassador Teplitz said she believes that the country can move up in the ranking from its 99th position. “This ambition is not a crazy one. It’s actually achievable, realistic,” she said. Stabilizing tax policy particularly for foreign investors but for domestic investors as well, simplifying the registration of property and improving access to credit are some of the issues that need to be addressed to improve the ease of doing business, the Ambassador highlighted.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
Sri Lanka rejects allegations in UNSG’s report to the Human Rights Council
The Government of Sri Lanka emphasized that it rejects all the allegations of human right violations contained in the Annual Report of the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) on Sri Lanka submitted to the UN Human Rights Council.
Dayani Mendis, Sri Lanka’s Acting Permanent Representative to the Government in Geneva, made this observation yesterday (30) at the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with regard to the reference contained in the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on “Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights”, presented to the UNHRC.
With regard to alleged “intimidating visits”, “surveillance”, complaints of harassment” and “reprisals” referred to in the UNSG’s Report, the government invited to the parties concerned to make formal complaints to law enforcement authorities or to independent national institutions such as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka or the National Police Commission, so that action can be taken to investigate the alleged incidents.
The Government has already publicly refuted these allegations, and is committed to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and civil society space, and ensure that complaints received on alleged attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and civil society are investigated and prosecuted, MS. Mendis said delivering the government’s response.
It is also reiterated that, apart from operating routine security networks in the interest of national security, particularly after the devastating Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, the Security Forces and intelligence agencies are not engaged in monitoring any specific group of people in the country.
“We believe that, for any country compromising its national security interests amidst looming sophistication of strategies of radical and extreme elements world around, is bound to face regrettable consequences. Hence, the GoSL requests all parties to be mindful of that ground reality in this context,” MS. Mendis said.
Following is the section on Sri Lanka in the UNSG’s Report presented to the UNHRC:
“120. OHCHR received continued allegations of surveillance of civil society organizations, human rights defenders and families of victims of violations, including repeated visits by police and intelligence services, questioning organizations about, inter alia, their staff and activities related to the UN. In her February 2020 report, the High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that harassment or surveillance of human rights defenders and victims of human rights violations increased during 2019 and “in some cases, Sri Lankans who travelled to Geneva to attend sessions of the Human Rights Council were questioned about the motives of their trips, either at the airport or during visits by the police to their homes upon their return” (A/HRC/43/19, para. 32). The High Commissioner “urged the authorities to immediately end the intimidating visits by State agents and all forms of surveillance and harassment of and reprisals against human rights defenders, social actors and victims of human rights violations and their families” (A/HRC/43/19, para. 39).
121. Allegations were also reported to OHCHR that several participants at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council were questioned by authorities before and after travelling to Geneva, and several organizations reported incidents of surveillance during the Human Rights Council session and its side events in March 2020. In December 2019, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights addressed patterns of intimidation and reprisals to the Government in writing.
122. Following his July 2019 visit to Sri Lanka, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association condemned surveillance of members of civil society, including that he witnessed, and reminded the Government that it has an obligation to ensure that no acts of reprisal occur against those who wish to interact with UN human rights mechanisms. The Special Rapporteur stated that before, during and after his consultations with civil society in Sri Lanka, participants at the meetings reported “receiving intimidating phone calls, demanding information on other participants, topics discussed and route plans.” The Special Rapporteur further noted that during a consultation in Trincomalee, “presumed intelligence personnel in civilian clothing were observed monitoring participants outside of the meeting place. In another location, military personnel took note of our vehicles’ number plates.”
123. On 8 July 2020, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report. Regarding alleged “intimidating visits”, “surveillance”, “complaints of harassment” and “reprisals”, it invited the parties concerned to make formal complaints to law enforcement authorities, or to independent national institutions such as the Human Rights Commission or the National Police Commission, so that action can be taken to investigate the alleged incidents. The Government stated its commitment to ensuring that complaints received are investigated and prosecuted. It reiterated that, apart from routine security operations in the interest of national security, particularly after the devastating Easter Sunday terrorist attacks of 21 April 2019, the Security Forces and intelligence agencies are not engaged in monitoring any specific group in the country.”
Courtesy: Colombo Page
