New Delhi
19 August 2005
The representative in Nepal of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Ian Martin, is expected to visit
Sri Lanka next month. Norway, which is facilitating the talks between the
LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, has sought Mr Martin's assistance
to review the human rights situation in the island nation.
"Such a visit was discussed during [Norwegian deputy foreign minister,
Mr Vidar Helgesen's] visit and envisaged for September. Dates are not
yet fixed," Mr Martin told this correspondent from Kathmandu. Mr
Helgesen had called on Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on
August 4.
Mr Martin said the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE had invited him
in late 2002 and early 2003 to participate in the talks then under way as
human rights adviser. "This is a personal capacity role, and nothing to do
with my UN role in Nepal or any other of my past employers," he clarified.
Mr Martin participated in two rounds of talks before these were suspended
in April 2003. "Since then I have made occasional visits at the invitation
of the parties to maintain contact, always with the hope that talks would
resume and I could be of assistance in addressing human rights issues
within the process. These visits are arranged through the Norwegian
facilitators," Mr Martin added.
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry, on its part, has put out a statement that
reads, "The recent Security Council resolution on use of child soldiers
and its implication for Sri Lanka was discussed. The President responded
positively to a request from the facilitator to a visit by Mr Ian Martin,
Advisor on Human Rights."
Meanwhile, Mr Martin said human rights monitors had begun visits to
army barracks in Nepal and interviewed detainees. He said he has urged
that detainees be promptly transferred out of Royal Nepalese Army
custody and priority be given to the transfer of long-term detainees. The
findings of the detention visits will be presented to the authorities and
reflected in the public reports of the High Commissioner, he added.
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