TORONTO, February 13, 2013 – York University’s Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security is hosting a panel discussion, Sri Lanka: Challenge — Implementing human rights & Accountability for human rights violations, with Amnesty International Canada, Feb. 14 at the Osgoode Hall Law School.
The discussion will examine the international community’s role in ending the longstanding conflict between Singhalese and Tamil, the two major ethnic groups of Sri Lanka, to begin a new era of co-operation and respectful governance.
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, a research and advocacy group focused on Sri Lanka’s public policy, and Steven Ratner, one of the three advisors to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on the Sri Lankan conflict and accountability, will lead the discussion moderated by Sharry Aiken, associate professor of Law at Queen’s University.
The event intends to stimulate a public discussion among the United Nations Human Rights Council’s member countries, during their meeting this March in Geneva. The island nation will present its progress report on a March 2012 motion by the council calling Sri Lanka to “initiate credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity, accountability and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans.”
WHAT: Sri Lanka: Challenge — Implementing human rights & Accountability for human rights violations, a panel discussion, co-hosted by Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security and Amnesty International Canada
WHERE: Helliwell Centre for Innovation in Dispute Resolution, Room No. 1014,
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Keele Campus (building 32 on map)
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, 3:00pm
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Media Contacts:
Gloria Suhasini, York University Media Relations, 416 736 2100 ext. 22094, suhasini@yorku.ca
Virginia Corner, Communications Manager, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, 416 736 5820, vcorner@osgoode.yorku.ca
