A/HRC/34/20 cases of the remaining security detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act would be a key confidence-building measure. Indeed, as long as these cases remain unresolved, they will continue to cast a shadow over any progress made in transitional justice. Moreover, any new detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act should strictly follow the new directives of the President, issued on 17 June 2016, that strengthen the protections available to detainees. 48. The restitution of land held by the military is still an unfulfilled confidence-building measure. Although significant areas of land have been released (according to government figures, an additional 2,625 acres of private land and 9,288 acres of State land have been released since October 2015), a mapping of both private and public land under the control of the military, and a release plan with clear benchmarks and timelines, have yet to be presented to the public. 49. Progress in the resettlement of internally displaced persons, despite the support received from donors and international organizations, has been slow. This is partially due to a failure to release land. On 16 August 2016, the Cabinet approved a rights-based and comprehensive national policy on durable solutions for conflict-affected displacement; challenges to its implementation persist, however, given that key obstacles, including land disputes relating to State occupation or secondary occupation, need to be addressed. Frustration in the affected communities has grown owing to the continued engagement of the military in civilian commercial activities. 50. Allegations of continued harassment and surveillance of human rights defenders and victims by security and intelligence personnel persist. Cases of excessive use of force, torture, arbitrary arrests and failure to respect due process during arrests by the police also continue to be reported, clearly demonstrating the need for unequivocal instructions to all branches of the security forces that such conduct is unacceptable and that abuses will be punished. While the presidential directives with regard to the Prevention of Terrorism Act are welcome, they are limited in scope and therefore insufficient to cover the full range of potential risks that could jeopardize the protection of human rights in cases of arrest or detention. It is crucial for the Government to forcefully assert civilian control over the military and intelligence establishments, and initiate reform of the security sector. The latter should include a comprehensive vetting process to ensure that “no scope exists for retention in or recruitment into the security forces of anyone credibly implicated through a fair administrative process in serious crimes involving human rights violations or abuses or violations of international humanitarian law”.15 In this context, while deployment of a Sri Lankan combat convoy battalion to Mali has been delayed owing to operational issues, it is imperative that the Government establish an appropriate vetting procedure – with an independent, civilian human rights component – in advance of any deployment of military and police personnel to a United Nations mission. V. Other human rights issues 51. Overall, some progress has been made in the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka since January 2015, such as the visible signs of improvement in the respect for freedoms of expression and movement, and cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms. Progress has, however, been uneven. 52. The Government has drafted a national human rights plan of action for the period 2017-2021. An interministerial committee on human rights had been established for that 15 12 Human Rights Council resolution 30/1, para.8.

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