Anti-Sri Lanka moves deterred
at Human Rights Council
The Permanent Mission of
Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva
14th December 2007
The resumed Sixth Session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva
from 10th to 14th of December '07 concluded with no resolution moved
or any action taken on Sri Lanka despite an intense campaign. Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch in a joint open letter had called
upon the Council to 'press' and 'push' Sri Lanka into accepting a UN
human rights monitoring mission. There had also been mounting speculation
in media outlets supportive of the LTTE and /or other anti-State forces,
that there would be a resolution critical of Sri Lanka at these sessions.
The ambassadors of Japan, the Philippines and India spoke out in support
of Sri Lanka at the sessions. Western delegates and NGOs were unable
to secure even a single voice from Latin America or Africa to echo its
slogan of the establishment of an OHCHR field presence or to criticize
Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations
in Geneva, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka rejected a move by the European Union
to enlist the Government of Sri Lanka's support for a statement by the
Human Rights Council's President which would have called for or welcomed
the establishment of a field office of the UN Human Rights High Commissioner.
In the run up to the Session, the Mission conducted a series of successful
briefings for diplomats on Sri Lanka, led by the Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe,
Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights. The Minister also
had a frank discussion with U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Louise Arbour and proposed models of cooperation compatible with the
national system.
The Sri Lankan delegation to the resumed Sixth Session of the Human
Rights Council was led by H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, and comprised
Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating
the Peace Process (SCOPP), Ms. Shirani Goonatilleke Director Legal SCOPP,
Mr. Shavindra Fernando, Deputy Solicitor General, Mr. G.K.D. Amarawardena,
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights,
and Counsellors at the Geneva Mission, Mr. Sumedha Ekanayake and Mr.
O.L. Ameerajwad.
Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of SCOPP met with senior
officials of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the International Committee
of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs, and briefed them on the current situation in Sri Lanka and
the importance of ensuring that Humanitarian and Human Rights activity
went hand in hand with the struggle against terrorism, a necessity highlighted
by several countries in discussions in the Council.
He reiterated that Sri Lanka is a sovereign member state of the United
Nations and that activities of international organizations on its territory
must be undertaken in close cooperation with the Government of Sri Lanka.
The Seventh Session of the Council will be held in March 2008.
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva
14 December 2007
www.lankamission.org ©
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