WhL-b-e Con&@ Of D- 496. Regarding that issue, members of tho Committee wished extent members of minority groups and persons with differing opinions had access to public office. to know to vhat political 407. In reply, the representative stated that there were no restrictions on citizens seeking public employment but that an ethnic recruitment quota had been introduced at the national and provincial levels. These measures had been challenged and the matter was currently before the Supreme Court. t6 of oe rsons -0 to &a. members of the Committee asked for comments 488. Nith reference to that issue. on measures taken to. guarantee the rights of ethnic and religious minority groups and on the assistance given to them to preserve their cultural They also wished to know whether identities, languages and religions. minority groups were represented in Parliament and in Provincial Councils. 499. In response, the representative stated that within the framework of the All Party Conference (APC) a continuous, free and open dialogue had been maintained between the Government and all political parties, including those The APC was also considering which were based on ethnic and other grounds. questions relating to the redress of minority grievances. Separate ministries had been established with a view to promoting the interests, development and progress of the Muslim and Hindu religious groups. Minorities nere adequately represented in Parliament. !LQIawuobservations to the 490. Members of the Committee, in expressing their appreciation Sri Lankan delegation for having engaged in a useful dialogue, acknowledged the difficult conditions facing the Government in maintaining law and order. They were of the view that certain Provisions of the proposed seventeenth snendment to the Constitution should be reconsidered in the light of the Covenant and voiced concern about human rights violations such as extrajudicial executions, the use of excessive force by the police and the armed forces, and the detention of persons without trial. Other concerns expressed by members of the Committee related to the efficacy of hi&gas coroll(i restrictions of rights due to the state of emergency, the 18-month maxi;tun period for detention and the right to compensation and to freedom of information. It was also felt that the interpretation of terrorism, as contained in the Prevention of Terrorism Act, was too broad and that the Act lacked provisions for recourse to an impartial and independent court. Members also pointed to the usefulness of making the Covenant better known to law enforcement officers and to people in the legal profession and expressed the hope that future reports would be more substantial and prepared according to the Committee’s guidelines. 491. In concluding the consideration of the second periodic report of Sri Lanka, the Chairman said that, notwithstanding the shortcomings of the report, the discussion of it had been fruitful, largely because of the competence of the delegation. He expressed the hope that the State party would take the observations made by members of the Committee into account in revising its legislation. -123-