Geneva confab:

SL’s post war progress hailed in many quarters

Rasika SOMARATHNA

* Islamic nations, NAM supportive of Sri Lanka

* Object to external pressure being exerted

A number of representatives at the 19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) had praised the progress achieved by Sri Lanka in all sectors, within the two and a half years since the conflict ended, head of the Sri Lankan delegation, President’s Special Envoy for Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said .

The minister who returned to the island on Saturday for a short break, told the Daily News that many countries had lauded Sri Lanka’s accomplishments in the post- conflict era and had noted that the country should be provided with the time and space required to continue with its endeavours for achieving further progress including efforts at strengthening reconciliation, without external pressure.

According to the minister, the Sri Lankan delegation had given detailed descriptions to member countries by presenting facts and figures about the progress the country had made in areas such as resettlement of the displaced, rehabilitation of ex-combatants and reintegrating them into society, initiatives at promotion and protection of human rights,

building of infrastructure, development, de-mining and progress of implementing the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendations, among others.

“We also pointed out that following the release of the LLRC report, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had presented it to Parliament within a month in a very transparent manner. We pointed out details regarding the efforts that are being made to lay the groundwork for the implementation of the LLRC recommendations,” he added.

Answering a question regarding a possible resolution against Sri Lanka coming up at the UNHRC backed by certain western countries, the minister noted that officially no such resolution has been tabled so far.

However, the minister noted that the Lankan delegation had explained to member countries that in the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s impressive progress in all fronts, there was no need for such a resolution and there was no justification to come up with one.

Minister Samarasinghe said that the delegation held discussions with member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) in Geneva.

The minister said that he would leave for Geneva shortly and the Lankan delegation will face any eventuality. The NAM and the 53 member Islamic nations group have already made statements supportive of Sri Lanka at the 19th sessions of the UNHRC.

The OIC commended the continued commitment of the Sri Lankan government to reconciliation through the establishment of its domestic reconciliation mechanism at Friday’s session of the UNHRC.

“We strongly believe that Sri Lanka must be provided with the time and space required to continue with its genuine national endeavours towards achieving this objective, without external pressure,” Pakistan said on behalf of OIC. On the same day, the Egyptian representative said that Sri Lanka should be given enough time to implement the LLRC recommendations. The Egyptian representative was speaking on behalf of the NAM at the 19th session of the UNHRC. The representative welcomed the LLRC report. During recent UNHRC sessions, many countries have commended the continued commitment of the Sri Lankan government to reconciliation through the establishment of its domestic reconciliation mechanism and its efforts at promotion and protection of human rights.

Many countries have also said that Sri Lanka should be given time and space to bring the process of national reconciliation, free from external pressure and that any assistance from the international community should be provided only with consent.