Experts urge Commonwealth action on human rights

The Commonwealth must act decisively to uphold human rights among its 54 member nations or risk a slide into irrelevance, according to a report set to divide the group's leaders at their summit this month. ----- Sri Lanka, some other developing nations, oppose call
A confidential experts' report to Commonwealth heads of government, obtained by Reuters, called for wide-ranging reforms that it said are essential if the organisation is to make a real difference to improving the lives of its people. "As it is currently perceived, the Commonwealth is in danger of losing its relevance," the 204-page report said.
The Commonwealth includes Britain, its former colonies and some other states with a combined population of two billion people. The report by a 10-member Eminent Persons Group was commissioned by Commonwealth leaders in 2009 and will be a key issue at their next summit in Perth, Australia, from October 28-30 when they must decide whether to accept its recommendations. The experts' call for the Commonwealth to act more energetically to uphold human rights is sure to be divisive.
Rich Commonwealth members such a Australia, Britain and Canada want a stronger focus on human rights. But developing countries such as Sri Lanka - under increasing Western pressure to probe allegations of war crimes at the end of its war with Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009 - reject outside interference. Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris was quoted on the website of Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror on Friday as saying the push for a "punitive role" on human rights by a few Commonwealth countries could cause a split in the organisation.
The experts' most controversial proposal is that the Commonwealth should appoint a commissioner to inform it about "persistent violations" of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in member states and how to respond to them. A Commonwealth spokesman said leaders had asked for options to strengthen the Commonwealth. "We believe the report gives many of these options," he said.