US helps to improve Sri Lankan military's rights record

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US helps to improve Sri Lankan military's rights record

By IANS Wednesday August 22, 01:31 PM Colombo, Aug 22 (IANS) Military law professionals from the US Pacific Command have hosted a programme to improve the human rights record of the Sri Lankan military.
Officially, the Military Law Exchange Programme is being described as one aimed at exchanging 'ideas on ways to improve transparency, accountability and human rights in military justice'.
A five-member American team met 35 Sri Lankan army, navy and air force personnel last week at a hotel here to foster 'mutual exchange of ideas and discussion of law affecting military commanders', according to the US embassy.
The three-day programme provided an important opportunity for military lawyers and staff from the US and Sri Lanka to exchange information on improving military justice systems, an embassy statement said.
'Defense Secretary (Gothabaya) Rajapakse and I agreed that it would be very useful to bring together military justice experts from Sri Lanka and the US to exchange information, perspectives and best practices,' US envoy Robert Blake was quoted as saying.
'It is valuable to discuss the challenges both our countries face in pursuing effective counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism practices, while ensuring respect for human rights and international law in such operations,' he said.
The Military Law Exchange Programme was established by the US Pacific Command, a department of the US Navy, in 1995 as a means by which to exchange views on legal issues at the military-to-military level.
Since then, the Pacific Command's Judge Advocate Staff has conducted legal exchanges with Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Australia, Nepal, Mongolia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Russia.
'We are pleased to add Sri Lanka to the distinguished list of partners in the Military Law Exchange Programme,' Blake said in his opening remarks.
'In the heat of battle, soldiers may occasionally act outside the law. What is important is that there are laws and institutions set up to investigate and respond appropriately to such transgressions.
'The successful empowerment of such institutions and the full implementation of such laws are measures of a strong and well-regulated military and a strong and healthy democracy.'