Human Rights Commission of Sri Lankan (HRCSL) Chairperson Dr. Deepika Udagama has resigned from her post. Director Media of the Parliament, Shan Wijetunge confirmed the news and said Udagama has tendered her resignation and will remain in her post till September 1.
While the constitutional council has decided to accept her resignation, it has also issued a statement appreciating the work she has done in the field of human rights and for elevating the work of the Commission leading it to be one of the best in the world.
For a country that has been hounded by allegations of human rights violations, it was a moment of remarkable achievement in 2018 when the HRCSL led by Udagama was presented with ‘A’ grade accreditation, which is the highest accreditation level possible for such an institution by the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in recognition of its untiring efforts to promote and protect human rights in Sri Lanka.
Her resignation also follows the resignation of HRCSL member Ambika Satkunanathan in May this year. The HRCSL which is an independent commission formed under the 19th Amendment to the constitution had its members led by Udagama appointed by the Constitutional Council. However, the current government has sworn to rid the country of the 19th amendment and the independent commissions along with it.
Before her appointment to the HRC Udagama was the Head of Department of Law, University of Peradeniya, and her specialization is international Human Rights law. She is Sri Lanka’s alternate member to the United Nations (UN) Sub-Commission on the promotion and protection of Human Rights, and the UN Sub-Commission’s Co-Special Reporter on Globalisation and its impact on Human Right.
