A/HRC/8/46 Page 16 recruitment of children; (d) Sri Lanka’s plan to address the forcible recruitment of child soldiers should be publicized and (e) Sri Lanka should work with international and domestic non-State actors to halt the recruitment and use of child soldiers. 76. The Islamic Republic of Iran noted with interest a number of measures adopted to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights and to consolidate cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms. It encouraged Sri Lanka to increase its efforts to strengthen its legal safeguards to eliminate all forms of ill-treatment or torture in the prisons and detention centres. 77. Uruguay hoped that the recommendations made by special procedures are taken in account and duly applied. Uruguay asked about measures to ensure that detained children, including those suspected of belonging to the LTTE and those who were forcibly recruited and escaped, are separated from adults and receive special care and attention. 78. Sudan noted that terrorism is an exceptional circumstance, which impacts on the right to development and other economic and social rights. It recommended that Sri Lanka share its experience with regard to fighting rebellion and terrorism and how to overcome them, as well as on measures taken to improve its social and economic development. 79. The Secretary General of the Secretariat for the Coordinating of the Peace Process in Sri Lanka, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, welcomed questions regarding education and language policy, since these would serve to make clear the commitment of the Government to pluralism and equitable development. Though for many years the Official Languages Act had not been implemented properly, this was now being promoted apace and over the last decade bilingualism through education had been implemented, while making English more widely available for reasons of equity. With regard to the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement, it had proved positive in allowing for action based on discussion with moderate Tamils. The situation had not got worse inasmuch as for instance with regard to IDPs, United Nations figures showed that the number of displaced had risen altogether by just 149 between the end of December and the end of April 2008. Though there were about 2,500 more in the North, these were offset by nearly the same number being resettled in the east. With regard to civilian casualties, the majority of those killed in the last four months had been civilians in the South due to terrorist suicide attacks etc. With regard to journalists, freedom of speech was total, with media outlets being extremely critical of the Government in the crudest terms. The real danger had been for Tamil language journalists due largely to rivalries between Tamil groups. Former Tamil militants who had accepted previous peace agreements had been decimated by the LTTE when they were disarmed under the Ceasefire Agreement. These violations had reduced considerably in 2007, and the Government was committed to preventing them totally. 80. The Deputy Solicitor General, Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, responding to questions raised by States submitted that the IIGEP was appointed by the President of Sri Lanka to observe the functioning of the Commission of Inquiry established to investigate and inquire into serious violations of human rights. The IIGEP was not established to monitor the overall situation of human rights in Sri Lanka. Its mandate was only to observe the functioning of the Commission of Inquiry, and to comment on its observance with internationally accepted norms and standards. It is unfortunate that certain members of the IIGEP who were seldom present at sessions of the Commission of Inquiry, proceeded to comment publicly on matters outside the mandate of the IIGEP. However, the former Chief Justice of India the Hon. Justice P.N. Bhagawatie who functioned as the Chairman of the IIGEP in a written communication dated 26 April 2008 stated that, ‘the IIGEP has not accused the GoSL of any lack of political will in so far as the functioning of the CoI is concerned. In so far as the Commission of Inquiry is concerned, it has been doing very good work and Members of the IIGEP have had the best of cooperation from the Chairman and