UNHRC disallows screening of Channel 4 film at UN in Geneva

CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE

The United Nations Human Rights Council disallowed the screening of the latest Channel 4 film No Fire Zone : The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka at the UN Palais de Nations premises in Geneva.

This is in response to a formal protest lodged by Sri Lanka against the screening of the Channel 4 film at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, Head of Mission and Consulate of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinghe told the Daily News, from Geneva yesterday.

Aryasinghe on being asked how that UN member countries reacted to Sri Lanka’s case after Plantation and Industries Minister and President’s Special Envoy on Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe’s speech at the Council on Wednesday, said “ their reactions will be known as the sessions progress.”

Sources in Geneva said UN member countries are very much concerned about Sri Lanka’s case and UN politics that resulted in a country-specific resolution against Sri Lanka and other UN member countries following Minister Samarasinghe’s speech on Wednesday that highlighted the importance of the need for the mandate holders (Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights Council) to adhere to the Code of Conduct as stipulated in executing their respective mandates. Aryasinghe said the Channel 4 film No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka, organised by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and FIFDH, will not be screened today as planned by them at the UN premises in Geneva. UN Human Rights Council President Ambassador Remigiusz A Henczel said in a letter dated February 27, 2013, that such events “do not reflect an official position of the Council”.

Henczel noted: “NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC have the right to organise side events”, and that “a large number of such meetings take place in the margins of the session and they do not reflect an official position of the Council”.

He said: “The organisers of side events take full responsibility for the content of their events”. Henczel’s letter came in reply to the formal protest, lodged by Aryasinha, against the screening of the Channel 4 film. Aryasinghe’s in his letter addressed to Henczel said: “Sri Lanka views this film, as well as the timing of its broadcast as part of a cynical, concerted and orchestrated campaign that is strategically driven, and clearly motivated by collateral political considerations”.

Henczel observed in his letter that “the participation and consultation with the observers of the Human Rights Council, including INGOs, is based on arrangements, including Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights (rule 7 of the Council‘s Rules of Procedure).”