World Human Rights Day message
[13 Dec 2000]

“The legal recognition and consolidation of the rights of all social groups, including the minorities, has become a  major component in the task of protecting human rights in Sri Lanka today,” President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge said in a special message to mark World Human Rights Day.

“It is with this objective that we have drawn up a new draft constitution which also incorporates political, economic and social rights,” the President said.

The Presidential statement,  also said:” We need a programme of action that will ensure all such rights of the civilised world as the freedom of expression, freedom to live without fear of torture and harassment, and the right to economic and social equality to all levels of society.

“our Government stands committed to these basic principals as they are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The principal means of ensuring that these rights are protected in Sri Lanka is the ending of the war and the peaceful resolution of the ethnic conflict through the enactment of a new constitution that will guarantee equality to all social groups while giving recognition to their identities.

“On this day, let us commit ourselves to this goal of establishing a new constitution that will broaden the parameters of democracy, freedom and human rights in our country.”

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