Sri Lanka

In August 2008, the National Human Rights Commission (National Protection and Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons Project) submitted to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights a “Bill on Protection of internally displaced persons” (Brookings 2011 – page 279). This bill was never adopted, and the Ministry on Prison Reforms Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Affairs (MoR) drafted in 2013 a “Framework for Resettlement Policy” which is more restrictive as it focuses mainly on conflict-induced displacement (A/HRC/26/33/Add.4). However, this policy was never adopted. The election of a new Government in Sri Lanka in January 2015 provided a more open political space to debate issues such as forced displacement (IDMC 2015). This is why, when there were still more than 40 000 internally displaced persons in the country, the Government of Sri Lanka launched a process of consultation and the development of the “National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict-affected Displacement”, which was adopted by the Sri Lankan Cabinet in August 2016. This Policy was built upon earlier efforts such as the report “Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission” (2011), the findings of the National Consultation on the Status of Internally Displaced Persons (2008), as well as the draft “Framework for Resettlement Policy” (2013) and the “Bill on Protection of Internally Displaced Persons” (2008), which are still waiting for endorsement.

2017 – National Policy on Reconciliation and Co-Existence

2015 – The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

2011 – National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (2011 – 2016)

2010 – National Policy on Disaster Management

2007 – Resettlement Authority Act, No.09 of 2007

2006 – Guidelines on Confidence Building and Stabilisation Measures for IDPs in the North and East of Sri Lanka

2002 – National Framework for Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka