Australia could contribute to international efforts to pre-empt collapse of the shaky ceasefire in Sri Lanka” said Paul O’Callaghan, Executive Director of ACFID.

Reports by the International Crisis Group present a pessimistic outlook for Sri Lanka’s future, as breaches of a recent ceasefire agreement escalate. The refusal or incapacity of conflicting parties to commit to a real ceasefire reinforces the responsibility for Australia, among other concerned countries, to use its good offices to promote peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“A return to full-scale war would have devastating consequences for all Sri Lankans and further delay efforts to re-establish the lives of those affected by the tsunami” said Paul O’Callaghan.

“Australia has the independent status and skills to contribute directly with other countries to the strengthening of human rights monitoring and the protection of civilians in an ever more dangerous situation”, he said.

ACFID urges the Australian government to consider closer collaboration with Norway, Japan and other players to persuade the conflicting parties to negotiate with Sri Lanka’s Ceasefire Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in good faith. This would ensure that the SLMM would have a more effective investigation, public reporting and enforcement role in bringing human rights violators to justice.

Australia could also urge Sri Lankan authorities to reactivate Sri Lanka’s National Human Rights Commission and promote reforms to the criminal justice system to improve law enforcement, prevent problems of torture and deaths in custody and protect members of all ethnic communities in Sri Lanka.

“ACFID endorses the call from the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, Professor Philip Alston, for action by Australia and other external parties to avoid the descent into greater civil unrest”, Mr O’Callaghan said.

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