Never worked with US representatives:
No state hand in so-called accountability resolution
The Sri Lankan government or its permanent mission to the UN in
Geneva, has no hand in the formulation of a reportedly US- crafted
resolution on accountability issues in Sri Lanka, which is expected to
be presented to the upcoming UNHRC sessions, a letter sent by the Sri
Lankan mission to UNHRC member states and other sections of the world
community says. “Sri Lanka categorically states that at no time has the
government or its mission in Geneva, ever worked with representatives of
the United States on any Resolution whatsoever.
“It is incorrect and misleading to create such an impression that Sri
Lanka was consulted, has cooperated or in any other manner been part of
such a process,” the letter states among other things.
Text of the letter: “Dear Colleague, “It has been brought to our
attention that an e-mail dated 21st February, purporting to have
originated from the Mission of the United States to the United Nations
and other International Organisations at Geneva, signed by one Miriam
Shahrzard Schive has been sent to Member States of the Human Rights
Council and Diplomatic Missions in Geneva.
“It seeks support for a resolution on Sri Lanka supposedly sponsored
by the United States, that is to be presented to the Human Rights
Council Sessions in March.
This e-mail creates the impression that diplomatic officials of the
US have been in close contact with the government of Sri Lanka, as well
as this mission, to work, “collaboratively on issues of accountability
(in Sri Lanka) and the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and
Reconciliation Commission’s Report’.
“It goes on to express the hope that ‘the Sri Lankan government will
work with us on this Resolution’.
It obliquely canvasses the position of a co-sponsorship of a
Resolution and conveys a false impression that Sri Lanka is working with
the United States on this Resolution.
"Sri Lanka categorically states that at no time has the government or
its mission in Geneva, ever worked with representatives of the United
States on any Resolution on whatsoever.
It is inaccurate and misleading to seek to create such an impression
that Sri Lanka was consulted, has cooperated or in any other manner been
part of such a process.
"Indeed, Sri Lanka has started on the implementation of the
recommendations of the LLRC, among other initiatives to secure peace,
prosperity and reconciliation for our people, in the aftermath of the 30
year conflict against separatist terrorism. We have consistently
maintained that it is unnecessary, unhelpful and counterproductive to
bring any resolution concerning this matter barely two months after the
publication of the LLRC Report and more particularly in the context of
implementation of its recommendations.
"We have continued to openly and comprehensively brief the
international community in Geneva and elsewhere of all recent
developments in this regard. Moreover we plan to inform the Council and
its Membership of the current position as to all relevant matters during
the forthcoming session of the Council - a practice that we will
continue in the future.
"It is unfortunate that such an unethical distortion of the true
position has been resorted to by interested parties who can only be
pursuing some parallel agenda, seeking to achieve some collateral gain,
given Sri Lanka's commitment to engage constructively with its partners,
its forthrightness in discussing issues pertaining to post conflict
recovery and the realization of positive developments within its
territory pertaining to reconciliation and development.
"It is opportune to observe that we have received wide spread support
on the endorsement of the principle, that a domestic mechanism must be
given the time, space and given the necessary impetus to achieve its
objectives.
Sri Lanka's position is that given the considerable progress that has
been achieved in the implementation of the recommendations of the
domestic mechanism from the release of the Report to date and the Road
Map for further progress, any resolution of whatsoever nature is most
unhelpful and highly unwarranted."
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