Ambassador Aryasinha says request to the Office of the High Commissioner to undertake a comprehensive independent investigation reflective of partisan politicised agenda”
Posted on March 26th, 2014
Sri Lanka Mission Geneva
26 March 2014
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha responding to the High Commissioner’s Report on Sri Lanka, informed the UN Human Rights Council on 26th March 2014 that rather than encourage and support the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka continues to maintain with the Council, it was ironic that the draft resolution on Sri Lanka being mooted by some members of this Council, is reflective of the same partisan politicised agenda through its request to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake “a comprehensive independent investigation”. Assistance to this process by third party ‘experts’ whose mandate and credentials are far from clear; and its deliberate exclusion of a significant part of the duration of the terrorist conflict from the period under investigation via the introduction of a particular time frame, would be both precedent setting and prejudicial to the interests of all member and observer states of this Council in the future.
Responding on behalf of the Sri Lanka to the 25th Session of the Human Rights Council on the High Commissioner’s Report, Ambassador Aryasinha said, the Government of Sri Lanka has consistently and with good reason rejected previous resolutions on Sri Lanka proposed by the US, which have emanated from a politicized process and mandate, and without the consent of the country concerned, and would do so again. He said, Sri Lanka reiterates that any action taken in the promotion and protection of human rights of a country must have the consent of that country.
Ambassador Aryasinha drew attention to the trajectory that has emerged with regard to the recommendation contained in Report of the UN High Commissioner reflects “the preconceived, politicized and prejudicial agenda which has been relentlessly pursued with regard to Sri Lanka”. He said politicized processes will only impede the delicate balance of the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka has continued to maintain with the Council.
While pointing out to a clear lack of mandate and pre-conceived nature of its recommendations, he said his delegation was “surprised by the numerous errors and misperceptions contained in the draft report on Sri Lanka” which was despite the High Commissioner and her team having undertaken a comprehensive, week-long visit to Sri Lanka during which time they were provided with unfettered access to study first hand the situation on the ground. Expressing “deeply concern” at such glaringly erroneous information in a Report of this nature, he said, “one would have expected that the OHCHR to have undertaken a more stringent scrutiny of facts”. Pointing out to a deviation from last year on the OHCHR refusing to accede to Sri Lanka’s request to publish as an “Addendum” to the Report, the “Comments” of Sri Lanka on the High Commissioner’s Draft Report as done in 2013, he said it demonstrated the disregard to established precedent which seriously impeded the visibility and integrity of subject between the two documents.
Sri Lanka Mission
Geneva
26 March 2014
March 26th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
Cunning Endians have once again betrayed SL.
Investigations are useless if IPKF crimes against Tamil women are NOT investigated.
March 26th, 2014 at 2:49 pm
“the preconceived, politicized and prejudicial agenda which has been relentlessly pursued with regard to Sri Lanka”.
– Expose that agenda and suggest it. Tell the world that
1. THIS WOMAN IS A RACISTS and SHALL BE REMOVED.
2. USA , UK are the biggest Human rights violators on the earth and have their own agenda and DO NOT CARE about human lives. Show the examples of killing of South Americans.
March 27th, 2014 at 4:35 am
First of all we must investigate how this Ugly Betty got the position she has when more qualified people were by passed!
Kofi Annan that uncle Tom got the Peace Price and he did the bidding of his masters!
March 27th, 2014 at 5:10 am
Bloody Endia may ABSTAIN from voting but DON’T trust them.
They KNOW the US resolution has the majority. So they SAFELY abstain from voting. Bloody cunning foxes.
March 27th, 2014 at 5:20 am
Pakistan, China, Russia, Maldives are fighting hard to SCRAP paragraph 10 of the resolution imposing international investigations.
You can watch it LIVE in unhrc website.
March 27th, 2014 at 6:21 am
US resolution against SL has passed with 23-12.
Endia abstained from voting.
March 28th, 2014 at 6:03 am
Daya Gamage writes on the UNHRC event and the US intent :
Kerry talks of probe by Navi Pillay office on Sri Lanka
Fri, 2014-03-28 08:24 — editor
Daya Gamage – Asian Tribune US National Correspondent
Washington, D.C. 28 March (Asiantribune.com):
The Government of the United States which took two steps forward with its Stars and Stripes Flag in hand to subject Sri Lanka to a global investigative mechanism took a step back to settle for Navy Pillay’s office to engage in an internal probe on Sri Lanka’s human rights situation as depicted by the statement issued by Secretary of State John Kerry.
Mr. Kerry issued a statement no sooner the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted with a divided vote at the UN Human Rights Commission session in Geneva on Thursday.
Mr. Kerry said “the resolution requests that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues monitoring the human rights situation in Sri Lanka”.
The secretary when he was the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a report in December 2009 urging the US State Department and Obama White House to engage Sri Lanka because of its strategic location without emphasizing continually on rights and other issues. The Kerry-Lugar Senate report said that the United States cannot afford to lose Sri Lanka.
Mr. Kerry who is now heading the State Department seems to walking on a tight rope to bring Sri Lanka back to its orbit in releasing a carefully worded statement.
Here is the full text of Mr. Kerry statement:
(Begin Text) Today’s vote in the UN Human Rights Council sends a clear message: the time to pursue lasting peace and prosperity is now; justice and accountability cannot wait.
This resolution reaffirms the commitment of the international community to support the Government of Sri Lanka as it pursues reconciliation and respect for human rights and democratic governance. That’s why the resolution requests that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues monitoring the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. That’s why it calls on the Office to conduct an investigation into allegations of serious human rights abuses and related crimes during Sri Lanka’s civil war. And that’s why the United States will continue speak out in defense of the fundamental freedoms that all Sri Lankans should enjoy.
We are deeply concerned by recent actions against some of Sri Lanka’s citizens, including detentions and harassment of civil society activists. Further reprisals against these brave defenders of human rights and the dignity of all Sri Lankan citizens would elicit grave concern from the international community.
The Sri Lankan people are resilient. They have demonstrated grit and determination through years of war. Now, they are demanding democracy and prosperity in years of peace. They deserve that chance.
The United States stands with all the people of Sri Lanka. We are committed to helping them realize a future in which all Sri Lankans can share in their country’s success. (End Text)
– Asian Tribune –
March 28th, 2014 at 6:46 am
Just been to the UNHRC website. Here is an interesting statement from that Holier than Thou country constitution a bunch of small rainy windswept rocky Islands that thinks it OWNS the world off mainland Europe had to say:
United Kingdom, in a general comment, said that it was committed to supporting long term peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and welcomed positive steps taken by Sri Lanka so far. However there was an important gap in those steps, a genuine process to determine the truth regarding allegations of war crimes and serious violations and abuses that took place during the conflict. It was regretted that Sri Lanka had failed to take domestic action itself, despite two previous resolutions by the Council on doing so. In the absence of action by the Government, the international community should support the clear call by the High Commissioner for an international investigation.
Of course UNHRC will never ever in its wildest dreams investigate 500 years of gross human rights violations around the globe including Sri Lanka. Why? Because this is the United Kingdom. Jesus once walked here apparently!
For the likes of UN head Ban Ki Moon and the UN. Unwritten imperialist brutal countries can do no wrong according to the United Nations. This is the UN law apparently. Funny old world we live in. One can only laugh at the absurdity of it all!
March 28th, 2014 at 6:49 am
Correction above comment.
Just been to the UNHRC website. Here is an interesting statement from that Holier than Thou country constituting a bunch of small rainy windswept rocky Islands that thinks it OWNS the world off mainland Europe had to say:
“United Kingdom, in a general comment, said that it was committed to supporting long term peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and welcomed positive steps taken by Sri Lanka so far. However there was an important gap in those steps, a genuine process to determine the truth regarding allegations of war crimes and serious violations and abuses that took place during the conflict. It was regretted that Sri Lanka had failed to take domestic action itself, despite two previous resolutions by the Council on doing so. In the absence of action by the Government, the international community should support the clear call by the High Commissioner for an international investigation.”
Of course UNHRC will never ever in its wildest dreams investigate 500 years of gross human rights violations around the globe including Sri Lanka. Why? Because this is the United Kingdom. Jesus once walked here apparently!
For the likes of UN head Ban Ki Moon and the UN. Unwritten imperialist brutal countries can do no wrong according to the United Nations. This is the UN law apparently. Funny old world we live in. One can only laugh at the absurdity of it all!