Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - Sri Lanka

CTED hosts 12th Regional counter-terrorism workshop for judges, prosecutors, and police in South Asia

BMUSONI — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 09:18:00 +0000

The 12^th Regional workshop for judges, prosecutors, and police in South Asia on effectively countering terrorism took place in Colombo from 5 to 7 June 2017. Over the past eight years, these regional workshops have involved over 300 senior judges, prosecutors, and police officials representing all eight member States of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Organized by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), in cooperation with the Government of Sri Lanka and the Global Center on Cooperative Security, the workshop allows participants to identify a number of counter-terrorism-related gaps and potential solutions.

CTED and its partners continue to take their findings into account in facilitating the delivery of technical assistance aimed at strengthening Member States’ capacities in these areas.

Some of the participants in the workshop.

Representatives of numerous regional and international organizations have been engaged in the project, which provides law enforcement officials from across the region the opportunity to interact and share experiences with their counterparts on sensitive counter-terrorism-related issues.

The project has also fostered the creation of a regional online network of expert practitioners who are able to share information and good practices in a number of sensitive areas, including domestic and international cooperation in criminal matters, interview and interrogation, use of sensitive evidence, advanced investigative techniques, and gender.

Project donors include Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Sweden, and the United States of America.

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Interactive donors’ meeting aims to help Sri Lanka counter terrorism

BMUSONI — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 10:18:00 +0000

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On 28 February 2017, the current Chairmanship of the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, Egypt, supported by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), organized a donors’ meeting for Sri Lanka. The interactive briefing, held in New York, was aimed at helping Sri Lanka develop a comprehensive technical assistance programme to counter terrorism while protecting and promoting the rule of law, including human rights.

Findings from a number of visits to Sri Lanka by CTED, on behalf of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, suggest that the Government of Sri Lanka will require technical assistance to consolidate and build upon the progress made so far. Not only would this help Sri Lanka’s transition to achieving lasting peace, but also prevent the resurgence of terrorism.

Divided into two parts, the donors’ meeting focused on (session I) Sri Lanka’s progress in the area, including recommendations for technical assistance; and (session II) developing a comprehensive technical assistance programme for Sri Lanka. The meeting was opened by H.E. Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Egypt to the 51�Թ� and Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, followed by remarks by H.E. Rohan Perera, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the 51�Թ�. Also Mr. Jean-Paul Laborde, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of CTED, spoke at the meeting.

CTED will continue to liaise with the Government of Sri Lanka, other UN entities, as well as interested Member States, to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to fully implement the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s recommendations.

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Regional workshop part of building a modern judiciary in South Asia

BMUSONI — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 16:13:00 +0000

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His Lordship K. Sri Pavan, Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, with some of the participants. Photo credit: Official Parliament of Sri Lanka photo by U.G. Nuwan Duminda

“The quality of justice will

[…] depend on the quality of performance of our judges. A competent judiciary is an essential ingredient to develop a modern judicial system, that is credible, transparent, speedy, and of high quality.” These were the words of His Lordship K. Sri Pavan, Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, in his keynote address to participants in a national workshop for judges held at the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute in Colombo early October.

Participants of the regional workshop.
Photo credit: Official Parliament of Sri Lanka photo by U.G. Nuwan Duminda

The Sri Lankan national workshop was organized on the margins of a Regional workshop on effectively countering terrorism in South Asia, arranged in the country’s capital on 3-5 October 2016. The regional initiative was the 11^th workshop of its kind, and a concrete way to promote cooperation between those that have to enforce the rules and go after the perpetrators of terrorist acts. This year’s workshop specifically focused on the challenges related to foreign terrorist fighters, individuals who travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in, terrorist acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist training, including in connection with armed conflict.

The challenges of deterring and bringing terrorists to justice are large in scope and the complexities often discouraging. In South Asia as in all other parts of the world, terrorism is linked to a host of other challenges including the flow of illicit goods and persons – of explosives, illegal funds, and suspected criminals – across borders. Developing the capacity of States, their law enforcement officials and members of the judiciary on both sides of the border to be adequately equipped to deal with these issues requires a cooperative, sustained approach.

Over the last seven years, the regional workshops – jointly organized by the 51�Թ� Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Global Center on Cooperative Security – have involved over 300 senior judges, prosecutors, and police officials representing all of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. Donor countries include Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Sweden, and the United States of America. Also representatives of numerous regional and international organizations have been involved in various ways over the years.

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51�Թ� Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate visits Sri Lanka

BMUSONI — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 18:11:00 +0000

Today, the 51�Թ� Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) begins a three-day focused country visit to Sri Lanka. As requested by the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the visit has three main objectives: To assess Sri Lanka’s implementation of the provisions of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), including the ratification and implementation of international instruments against terrorism as well as international cooperation in these matters, and to make relevant recommendations concerning steps that Sri Lanka should take in this regard; to recommend areas in which Sri Lanka would eventually benefit from receiving technical assistance;and to address measures put in place by Sri Lanka to implement Security Council resolution 1624 (2005). Adopted under Chapter VII of the 51�Թ� Charter and therefore binding on all Member States, resolution 1373 (2001) addresses threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, whereas resolution 1624 (2005) calls on States to enhance dialogue and take all necessary measures to counter incitement of terrorist acts motivated by extremism and intolerance.

The official mission to Sri Lanka, which will stress the importance of a comprehensive approach to countering terrorism in accordance with the principles of the rule of law including human rights, as requested by the Security Council, will be undertaken through engagement with the Government and include a visit to Jaffna. The delegation will emphasize that terrorism will be defeated not only by military and law enforcement measures or judiciary decisions, but will also require constructive dialogue with communities.

Head of the delegation is Assistant Secretary-General Mr. Jean-Paul Laborde, Executive Director of CTED. Members of the delegation include counter-terrorism experts from CTED focusing on legislation, law enforcement, and countering violent extremism, as well as representatives of the 51�Թ� Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and INTERPOL.

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