HRCSL continues to vet police and SLAF personnel for UN missions

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) continues to vet police and air force personnel for deployment on United Nations peacekeeping, even after the UN Department of Peace Operations ( UNDPO) announced it would no longer deploy soldiers from the country on UN missions.

“We have stopped vetting army personnel but we continue to vet police and air force,” HRCSL Chairperson Deepika Udagama said. But she also said they were awaiting concrete instructions from the UNDPO in relation to its decision.

It was understood that Sri Lankan troops deployed with the United

Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will not be replaced at the end of their mission with other Sri Lankan troops. However, Sri Lankan army personnel could still be used in UN contingents where their presence is considered critical.

In September, the UN suspended Sri Lankan army deployment in peacekeeping operations after Lt Gen Shavendra Silva was made Army Commander. A UN spokesman said concern was expressed to the Sri Lanka Government over the appointment “despite well-documented, credible allegations of his involvement in serious violations of

international humanitarian and human rights law”.

“In light of this appointment, the UN Department of Peace Operations is therefore suspending future Sri Lankan army deployments except where suspension would expose U. N. operations to serious operational risk,” he said.

Only 25 percent of Sri Lankan troops now engaged in peacekeeping operations will be replaced when they complete their term in Lebanon, a UN official said in September. These places would be filled through a re- adjustment of existing peacekeepers now in Lebanon, Jean- Pier re Lacro i x , UNDPO Under Secretary General, explained. He said there would be no further reduction of

Sri Lanka peacekeepers.

Sri Lanka first contributed to a UN peacekeeping mission in 1960, by deploying six peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). Over the years, Sri Lankan troops have served in Central African Republic, Congo, Cote d’Ivore, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, South Sudan, Timor and Western Sahara. It was one of the highest Troop Contributing Countries ( TCC) to the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.

Sri Lankan Peacekeepers Lance Corporal J. B. A. J. Jayasinghe ( 2005), Lance Corporal H. M. Wijesinghe (2005) and Lance Corporal A. Jayantha ( 2007) laid down their lives for international peacekeeping and were honoured with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal.