COLOMBO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues Rita Izsák-Ndiaye began a visit to Sri Lanka on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said.
Izsák-Ndiaye will be in Sri Lanka till Oct. 20 to assess the current situation of national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in the country.
At the commencement of her visit, the UN special rapporteur had talks with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, the Foreign Ministry added.
"Experience has shown that the recognition and promotion of minority rights are critical, if not requisite, in achieving long-lasting peace and reconciliation, particularly in countries such as Sri Lanka that were once divided by ethnic conflicts," said the independent expert tasked by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise in the field of minority rights globally.
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