Lankan HR delegation refuted baseless allegations - SCOPP Chief

Irangika RANGE

COLOMBO: The 6th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council was concluded in Geneva without any resolution on Sri Lanka despite dire criticism regarding human rights violations in Sri Lanka by some local and foreign NGOs, the Opposition, LTTE and some newspapers and websites, Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha said.

“Many allegations made by them were baseless. The Sri Lankan delegation was able to face these allegations successfully by conducting a number of healthy discussions with the NGOs and ambassadors representing from many countries,” Wijesinha said.

“Though we invited Sri Lankan based NGOs for a discussion, they did not participate while several discussions with some foreign NGOs were successfully conducted. But they have participated in the discussion held with the LTTE on September 22.”

Several NGOs tried to mislead the Council regarding alleged Armed Forces connections with disappearances, abductions and killings. But with the clarification by the Sri Lankan delegation regarding the real situation, no statements were issued by the Council against the Government.

The relationship between the LTTE, certain NGOs and UNP became apparent in Geneva, he said.

He said the European Union did not present any resolution on Sri Lanka and an earlier resolution lapsed. He said every country has problems with terrorism. The Sri Lanka delegation clarified the real situation.