Officials briefed on Lankan situation ahead of UNHRC sessions

The Sri Lankan delegation to the 9th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) led by Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and accompanied by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights and P. M. Mohan Peiris, P.C., Legal Consultant to the Ministry of Defence arrived in Geneva on Wednesday ahead of the Session, which is to be held from September 8 to 26.

The Sri Lanka delegation headed by Minister Samarasinghe met a number of key high-ranking officials on Tuesday and briefed them about the situation in Sri Lanka and the Government's efforts to promote and protect human rights.

The meetings included sessions with Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, President of the Human Rights Council and Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary -General of the Inter Parliamentary Union and Brunson Mckinley, Director General of the International Organisation for Migration.

The Minister also met a number of delegations at a working lunch hosted by Dr. Dayan Jayatilake, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva. During this working lunch, the Minister emphasised that Sri Lanka's commitment to the international dialogue on promotion and protection of human rights has not been limited to its membership at the Human Rights Council and that Sri Lanka will continue to take steps to improve its human rights situation.

Minister Samarasinghe briefed the delegations on action being taken by the Government to provide humanitarian assistance to the Internally Displaced Persons, the proposed National Action Plan on Human Rights and the Government's efforts to implement the voluntary pledges made at the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka. The Minister welcomed the support of the International community in these endeavours.