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by Ranil Wijayapala

The Sri Lanka Army is now working on a five year education programme to integrate International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (IHL & HR) into its military curriculum for officer instructors to promote a culture of IHL and HR within the Army.

The Directorate of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law which was established in 1997 has already trained 161 officer instructors through six training courses and 94 Senior Non-Commissioned officers in two instructor-training initiatives.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, the Centre for Studies of Human Rights of the University of Colombo, the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and the British High Commission are assisting the Army in this regard.

The 7th course for officers of the Armed Forces began last week at the Kothalawala Defence Academy, Ratmalana.

Thirty five officers of the Army will undergo the training for two weeks with a view to taking up duties as Officer Instructors of IHL and HR at their respective training establishments and field formations.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the seminar Army Commander Lt. General Lional Balagalle said the law of armed conflict and human rights are not special fields but an obligation and challenge for military leaders at all levels.

"At the inception of our efforts to curb the separatist struggle the main focus was defeating the terrorists. There were many violations on our part as well other belligerent parties. As a result number of officers and soldiers got into unnecessary trouble and we lost our credibility in the eyes of the international community."

"Officers and soldiers became more and more aware of the importance of protecting human rights and avoided violations even at the most crucial times after the establishment of the Directorate of Humanitarian Law in 1997," the Commander said.

The Commander said this was the ideal time to train soldiers and their commanders as they have time to devote to learn HR and IHL as the peace process is on correct track and normality was slowly returning.

Head of Delegation of the ICRC Marco Brudermann said considerable efforts have been made by the ICRC since 1989 to make IHL better known and respected in Sri Lanka.

The main objective of those efforts was naturally to spread appropriate knowledge of this law primarily among those who are required to comply with its provisions, namely the members of the Armed Forces.

"The achievements in this regard are obvious. Teaching of the law has become an integral part of military instruction and is taken seriously by the military hierarchy at all levels," he added. 

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