Hard work to defeat US resolution

Chamikara Weerasinghe

The Sri Lanka delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council yesterday said they are doing their level best to defeat the US resolution against Sri Lanka. The resolution calls on the government of Sri Lanka to implement recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission(LLRC) while “Noting with concern that the LLRC report does not adequately address serious allegations of violations of International Law.”

Close on the heels of the second session, Head of Sri Lanka Delegation to the Council and UNHRC Special Representative on Human Rights, Plantation and Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe headed to Geneva on Saturday from Japan after attending a conference on the tea trade held in Tokyo.

Member of the Sri Lanka Delegation to UNHRC, Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Sirpala de Silva yesterday said on being asked about their position in regard to US -backed resolution,

“We are doing our best to convince the UN about Sri Lanka’s position on human rights and the action taken to the government to promote same in keeping with the constructive recommendations in the LLRC report.”

“We are working hard to establish confidence in every member country of the UN Human Rights Council about our commitment to achieve national reconciliation and actions taken in this direction,” he explained.

Asked about the chances of defeating the resolution, Silva said ,” we are working hard to win it .”

According to sources close to UNHRC sessions in Geneva , the Western bloc is likely to support the resolution. Non aligned countries are opposed to the resolution.