Sri Lanka rejects High Commissioner Pillay’s call “to establish an international inquiry mechanism”
The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has rejected the call by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navananethem Pillay’s call “to establish an international inquiry mechanism to further investigate the alleged violations of IHRL and IHL and monitor any domestic accountability process in Sri Lanka”, saying “it gives scant or no regard to the domestic processes on going in Sri Lanka within the framework of the LLRC NPOA, and is politicized in premise”. The government said, the trajectory that has emerged with regard to the recommendation of the High Commissioner “reflects the preconceived, politicized and prejudicial agenda which she has relentlessly pursued with regard to Sri Lanka”, since just a week following the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka, on 26th May 2009 at the 11th Special Session of the UNHRC on Sri Lanka, and at subsequent sessions and reports. It is noted that the reference in the current report that “the High Commissioner remains convinced” for an “independent, international inquiry” demonstrates her persistent efforts against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka said, “it is pertinent to question the factual basis for the High Commissioner’s initial formal call to the HRC for an independent, international investigation in May 2009 and its continuation, in order that the international community not be misled”.
GOSL made these observations in “comments” submitted to the draft report of the High Commissioner on 12 February 2014, ahead of the High Commissioner’s (HC) final report on Sri Lanka to the 25th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), which was placed on the OHCHR website today (24 February 2014).
Although on the last occasion when the HC reported on Sri Lanka to the 22nd Session of the HRC, GOSL’s “comments” were placed as an addendum to the report, ensuring the integrity of the HC’s report and the GOSL comments, and also that they were equally visible, the GOSL’s request this year that its comments be published as an addendum to the HC’s Report has been refused, and it has only been placed on the UN Extranet which is not directly accessible to the public.
In its “comments” GOSL noting its “non-recognition” and “categorical rejection of resolution 22/1” that mandated the HC’s report, observes that “it has nevertheless continued to make significant progress in its own reconciliation process, and has continued to regularly update the Council on such progress. In this context, GOSL rejects, without prejudice to its position of non-recognition of resolution 22/1, the High Commissioner’s claim that most of the recommendations made in her previous report to the Human Rights Council remain unimplemented”. GOSL has also “reiterated its categorical rejection of the conclusions and recommendations contained in the HC’s Report, which reflects bias and is tantamount to an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign State”.
In its detailed point by point “comments” on the HC’s report, GOSL has regretted that “the HC had raised concerns regarding a range of issues based on information of questionable veracity and arrived at conclusions in a selective and arbitrary manner”. It added that this included many she had raised during her August 2013 week-long visit to Sri Lanka, “where the GOSL had requested the High Commissioner to provide factual evidence to substantiate allegations” and “to refrain from making general comments without a degree of specificity which would allow the GOSL to investigate and respond in a comprehensive manner”, which however had not been forthcoming.
The full text of GOSL’s “comments” on the HC’s draft report submitted to the OHCHR
is at: http://ap.ohchr.org/Documents/E/HRC/c_gov/A_HRC_25_G_9_AEV.doc
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
to the United Nations
Geneva
A Coffee Table book titled “1975- 2014 Sri Lanka” was launched on Tuesday, 25th February 2014 at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) in Colombo, attended by diplomats, academics, media, government officials and members of the armed forces. The book provides a collection of photographs depicting the turbulent phases of Sri Lanka’s history from the 70’s, when the LTTE first began its cycle of violence to the present time, and starkly showed the range of countless civilians, presidents, politicians, intellectuals, religious figures, civic society activists that were brutally murdered by the LTTE.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs remarked that the book and the powerful images in the book was a poignant reminder of the pain and anguish that the nation had to endure for three long decades and that it had defined Sri Lanka’s history for much of the past. In this regard, the Minister noted that many commentators had long thought that it would be impossible to achieve a victory against terrorism and that Sri Lanka’s achievement was unparalleled in any other country’s histories and he was pleased that that past was behind Sri Lanka and she was looking ahead with promise and renewal, after emerging from the shadows of a debilitating conflict.
Presenting an overview of the challenges confronting Sri Lanka’s present and its future, Prof. Peiris noted with grave concern that human rights was no longer based on moral or ethical issues, but on political ones. The Minister provided an overview of numerous instances, where it was being used selectively and that there was a need for uniformity in its application; with some countries left along and other countries, such as Sri Lanka being singled out and hounded, disproportionately. The Minister drew parallels in Sri Lanka’s colonial past, where the British in seeking to bring the Kandyan Kingdom under their rule, also notions of protecting human rights to effectively subjugate and dominate the Sri Lankan people. Prof Peiris also contrasted notions of justice and retribution and highlighted that Sri Lanka drawing from a great continuum and heritage in the region, did not subscribe to a vindictive justice that was pushed by some. The Minister noted that despite the quests of a few to target Sri Lanka, other countries stood behind Sri Lanka to have its own national solutions to its specific challenges and circumstances and not impose external solutions.
The Minister urged the need for nations to be treated equally and fairly in the international arena and for human rights and other standards selectively applied to nations. Prof Peiris noted that the eradication of terrorism in Sri Lanka has paved for not only Sri Lanka’s development and progress, but that of the region. Prof. Peiris closed with summarising that Sri Lanka looked forward to engage its friends and the international community, with mutual respect and reciprocity and that after enduring the difficult legacy of the past, as a nation, could collectively face any challenge ahead.
Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) Asanga Abeygunasekara welcomed Senior Attorney-at-Law Gomin Dayasri; Malinda Seneviratne, Author of the coffee table book and Editor of the Nation; Mr. Arun Thambimuttu, Chief Organiser of the Batticaloa District and also spoke at the occasion.
Ministry of External Affairs
Colombo
25th February 2014
738 Viewers
