Geneva, 12 February 2013 - Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on advice and technical assistance for the Government of Sri Lanka on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka has been made public prior to the UNHRC’s 22nd Session which opens on 25 February.

The High Commissioner in this report recommends that the Government of Sri Lanka:

(a) Give positive consideration to the offers of assistance made in her letter dated 26 November 2012, in particular expertise in:

(i) The establishment of a truth-seeking mechanism as an integral part of a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to transitional justice;

(ii) Criminal and forensic investigations to review relevant case files and advise on additional lines of inquiry to resolve outstanding cases in accordance with international standards;

(iii) Drafting laws dealing with witness and victim protection, the right to information, the criminalization of enforced disappearances and the revision of existing laws to bring them into line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;

(iv) Strengthening and ensuring the independence of national institutions;

(v) The development of a national reparations policy in line with international standards;

(b) Invite special procedures mandate holders with outstanding requests to make country visits, particularly those who have offered assistance pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 19/2;

(c) Hold public and inclusive consultations on the national plan of action for implementation of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission with a view to revising and expanding its scope and clarifying commitments and responsibilities;

(d) Revisit and implement the Commission’s recommendation on appointing a special commissioner of investigation into disappearances, and extend tracing programmes to include all missing persons;

(e) Open proceedings of military courts of inquiry and future trials of LTTE detainees to independent observers to increase public confidence, and allow proceedings to be evaluated in line with international standards;

(f) Publish the final report of the presidential commission of inquiry 2006 to allow the evidence gathered to be evaluated and accept international assistance to resolve outstanding cases;

(g) Take further steps in demilitarization and devolution to involve minority communities fully in decision-making processes;

(h) Engage civil society and minority community representatives in dialogue on appropriate forms of commemoration and memorialization that will advance inclusion and reconciliation.

The High Commissioner noted the views expressed by many stakeholders in Sri Lanka, including prominent community leaders, that the attention paid by the Human Rights Council to issues of accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka had helped to create space for debate, and catalyzed positive steps forward, however limited at this stage. The High Commissioner encourages the Council to continue its engagement and build on this momentum. In this regard, she reaffirms her long-standing call for an independent and credible international investigation into alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, which could also monitor any domestic accountability process.

Geneva, 18 January 2013 - Rupert Colville for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay was deeply concerned that the impeachment and removal of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice had further eroded the rule of law in the country and could also set back efforts for accountability and reconciliation. The removal of the Chief Justice through a flawed process, which had been deemed unconstitutional by the highest courts of the land, was, in the High Commissioner’s view, gross interference in the independence of the judiciary and a calamitous setback for the rule of law in Sri Lanka.

ALRC, 06 Jan 2012 - The appointment of a new Chief Justice who will be under the thumb of the government will mark the point of a serious threat to the rule of law, the concept of separation of powers as well as the independence of judiciary in Sri Lanka. Should such an environment prevail, where the questions of legality and constitutionality are no more relevant, it is obvious that the government will take steps to arrest and otherwise illegally deal with anyone of their choice in the country, including the judges and lawyers. In our view, the result of all this will be the reduction of Sri Lanka's judiciary to become a mere administrative body without judicial authority or independence that is required to uphold the rule of law or to protect the rights of the individuals. The judiciaries in Cambodia and Burma in the region are examples to this situation. There is open opposition to this move by the lawyers, by the members of the judicial services association and by the civil society organisations. The ALRC is concerned that to silence this opposition, the government will resort to serious abuses of human rights. Illegal arrest, arbitrary detentions and fabrication of charges of innocent individuals are likely. The ALRC is certain that your office is aware about Sri Lanka's historic background involving forced disappearances, which the ALRC fears would be repeated under the present circumstances. We therefore wishes to bring to your notice this extraordinary situation, which will be a decisive moment, that if not prevented at all costs, will result in the collapse of the rule of law in Sri Lanka. We urge you therefore to intervene with the Government of Sri Lanka and make use of all the powers that your mandate warrants and could exercise to prevent this impending catastrophe.

The Age, 10 Nov 2012 - THE chief rights advocate for the United Nations has expressed alarm at a new push by Australian immigration authorities to immediately reject a number of Sri Lankan asylum seekers. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is in Bali for a democracy summit, also attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Ms Pillay said she had heard numerous concerns that asylum seekers could languish indefinitely on Nauru and Manus Island under Labor's revived Pacific Solution and was especially worried over the plight of children. ''I am highly concerned that detention in regional offshore processing centres such as in Nauru could result in indefinite detention and other human rights violations,'' she said.

UK Foreign Office, 24 May 2012 - Human Rights minister Jeremy Browne comments on the extension of Navi Pillay’s appointment as High Commissioner for Human Rights by the UN General Assembly. Speaking today, Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne said: "I welcome the United Nations General Assembly’s decision today to extend Navanethem Pillay’s appointment as High Commissioner for Human Rights for two years. The UK strongly supports the role of the High Commissioner and her Office, who lead efforts to promote and protect human rights throughout the world. The struggle for human rights is continuous. The High Commissioner’s role is critical and entails enormous responsibilities: helping prevent human rights violations wherever they occur, encouraging respect for human rights by all States, and strengthening the ability of the UN system as a whole to act."

By TIME Staff Thursday, Mar. 29, 2012 - Cast your votes for the leaders, artists, innovators, icons and heroes you think are the most influential people in the world. Official voting ends on Friday, April 6, and the poll winner will be included in the TIME 100 issue. The complete TIME 100 list will be chosen by our editors and revealed on TIME.com on Tuesday, April 17.

By Colum Lynch, Foreign Policy, Thursday, February 16, 2012 - In a confidential letter to Ban, excerpts of which were reviewed by Turtle Bay, Pillay wrote that Silva's appointment threatens to harm the reputation of the U.N.'s peacekeeping division. She appealed to Ban and other top U.N. officials to ask the Asian Group to reconsider its decision, and select a replacement. "I am seriously concerned that were Mr. Silva to assume this senior position related to U.N. peacekeeping the damage to the reputation and integrity of the organization will be serious and sustained," Pillay wrote. "His appointment runs directly counter to long-standing efforts ... to move peacekeeping operations away from previous incidents of serious mismanagement and abusive conduct on a stronger, more professional and more respected footing."

By Matthew Russell Lee, Inner City Press, UNITED NATIONS,13 February 2012 - On Monday outside a General Assembly session on Syria, Inner City Press asked UN High Commission on Human Rights Navi Pillay about the case, and if she thought it reflected well on the UN. Pillay responded, on camera and on the record, that "It's a matter of concern... my office keeps a list of individuals suspected of committing human rights violations." She added, "I have addressed a letter of concern to the Secretary General about this individual" -- that is, Silva.

Inner City Press, 09 December 2011 - High Commissioner on Human Rights Navi Pillay spoke generally that there should be accountability, adding that she is postponing a visit to Sri Lanka until the release of the report of the government's Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission, which she said in the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. She said she favored the LLRC report, along with the UN Panel of Experts (or "Darusman") Report being the subject of a debate in the Human Rights Council. She also declined to answer if she will seek a second term, saying she has six months left, but "thank you for reminding me" that the decision time is looming. For Sri Lanka as well?

Geneva, 30 05 2011 - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navi Pillay in her Opening Statement at the Council's 17th Session fully supported the recommendation of th Panel of Experts on accountability in Sri Lanka to establish an international mechanism to monitor national investigations and undertake its own as necessary.