Darusman Report subterfuge:

Sri Lanka geared to face any eventuality

Irangika RANGE

Sri Lanka is to meet any eventuality if the Darusman Report is included in the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council sessions, Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

“We will lobby the member countries of the UNHRC to prevent such an effort in including this report in the agenda of the UNHRC sessions,” he said.

Addressing the weekly press briefing at the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo yesterday, the minister said the Report was based on unverified and unauthenticated facts.

“The Sri Lankan government does not consider the Darusman Report as a UN document, as it has not been mandated by any inter-governmental or multilateral forum. The document is the product of a personal initiative taken by the Secretary-General. Further more, the mandate of the Panel is purely advisory in nature, as stated in its terms of reference,” he said.

“Therefore, there is no legal or virtual right to include the Darusman report in the agenda of UNHRC sessions,” de Silva said.

“Our diplomatic corps are actively engaged in the process to canvass support for Sri Lanka against the Darusman Report. President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his visit to New York, will meet and discuss with many member country leaders seeking their assistance against the Report,” he said.

Minister de Silva said that the Sri Lankan delegation who participated at the UNHRC sessions met and discussed with its 47 member countries.

“We expressed our strong objections on attempts to take up the controversial report at the UNHRC sessions,” he said.

“We explained that this was a highly biased Report while making them aware of the truth about the final phase in eradicating terrorism and the current efforts at reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Many countries were supportive of Sri Lanka,” de Silva said.