Justice minister reaffirms Swiss commitment in Sri Lanka
Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga concluded her four-day visit to Sri Lanka by saying that Switzerland will do its utmost to ensure that the nation’s newly formed Office of Missing Persons, as well as the Human Rights Commission, can do their work.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SDA-ATS/cl
During her visit, Sommaruga met Sri Lanka’s president, Maithripala Sirisena, as well as government ministers, representatives of the national human rights commission, and several civil society organisations, including members of the strongest political party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
TNA leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan said that while the human rights situation in Sri Lanka has clearly improved since 2015, there are still problems and the population was “impatient” for progress. Sommaruga responded that this was “understandable”, but that “a new constitution, reconciliation, and democratisation takes time.” She added that with upcoming elections there comes a “risk that polarisation in Sri Lanka will increase again.”
On Monday, Sommaruga signed a memorandum of understanding in the capital Colombo with the Sri Lankan interior minister, Seneviratne Bandara Nawinne, solidifying their intention to facilitate and extend cooperation, according to the justice ministry. This agreement “also helps us address specific issues directly, so that we can remind the authorities and politicians of their responsibilities,” said the justice minister.
Vocational training and labour migration
During her visit, Sommaruga also visited a vocational training programme as well as a labour migration programme led by the Swiss Agency for Development and CooperationExternal link, which are both aimed at supporting economic development in Sri Lanka.
After meeting with migrants who had worked in Gulf States, the justice minister said it had been impressed upon her how “great the risk is of being exploited in this work situation.” She added that women labour migrants especially had shared experiences of violence with her.
“They need support when they get there and when they come back,” Sommaruga said. “These are enormous challenges.”
More
More
Switzerland and Sri Lanka plan closer cooperation
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister,Sommaruga,has signed plans for an extended migration partnership accord with Sri Lanka. NGOs have slammed the project.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Sri Lankans in Switzerland demand justice
This content was published on
Hundreds of Sri Lankan babies who were adopted by Swiss couples in the 1980s are trying to discover whether they were smuggled into the country.
Switzerland ‘wrongly exposed Tamil asylum seeker to torture’
This content was published on
The verdict, delivered on Thursday, condemned the Swiss authorities for failing to properly consider the man’s asylum application lodged in 2009. After an unsuccessful appeal to the Federal Administrative Court he was returned to Sri Lanka along with his wife and two children. On arrival in Colombo, the family was detained and subjected to 13…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.