Courtesy The Nation

The Sri Lankan Government co-sponsored the US led resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) without contesting the draft resolution, despite a pledge made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe to media heads last week that Sri Lanka would seek amendments to the preamble.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, speaking with heads of media institutions and editors last Sunday (September 27), stated that the Government is in agreement with the operational paragraphs of the draft resolution, but was discussing amendments to the preamble.

However, in response to a query made by The Nation, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ravinatha Aryasinha said ‘no changes’ had been made to the draft after September 24 as no changes had been sought. Aryasinha added this was the draft that was passed by consensus last Thursday (October 1).  Critics of the Resolution have argued that it compromises Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and facilitates unnecessary interference in the country’s judicial affairs.

UNHRC Resolution A/HRC/30/L.29 entitled ‘Promoting reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka,’ was presented by a ‘Core Group’ of sponsors led by the United States. The other countries in the group included the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and the United Kingdom.