HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2019 ▪ Recommendation on the implementation of the circular on school security By letter dated 03.05.2019 the Commission recommended the Ministry of Education to follow steps to ensure that values of non-discrimination and equal protection are guaranteed to every child, in the process of implementing Circular No. 25/2019 on ensuring security in school premises. Recommendations were made for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the entire school community in a non-discriminatory manner and to foster mutual understanding and cordiality. ▪ Recommendation to Commissioners of Local Government on the need to ensure non-discrimination in facilitating commercial activities by local authorities On 30.05.2019, the Commission wrote to Local Government Commissioners regarding members of the Muslim community who are lawfully engaged in commercial activities being barred in certain areas after the attacks on 21 April 2019 from using public premises even though they had duly registered with local authorities and had paid due fees. The Commission requested the Local Government Commissioners to submit reports on complaints received and actions taken in this regard. ▪ Guidelines on media reporting post Easter Sunday attacks with sensitivity and responsibility The Commission wrote to the heads of mass media institutions on the need to be sensitive and responsible in their reporting of the April 21 terrorist attacks and its aftermath. The Commission provides guidelines to the media institutions to abide by in order to ensure that unwarranted tension between ethnic or religious communities and re-victimization of those affected by the attacks are prevented. The Commission also emphasized on the need to protect the privacy of persons involved in searches conducted by the security forces, to treat arrested suspects and their families with dignity, to avoid broadcasting traumatizing images or 33