UNHRC disassociates itself from screening of 'No Fire Zone' at UN in Geneva

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) disassociated itself from the screening of the Channel 4 film No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka organised by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and FIFDH scheduled to happen today in Geneva at the UN premises.

In response to a protest lodged by Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha last Monday, which was followed up with a meeting on Tuesday, UN Human Rights Council President Ambassador Remigiusz A Henczel in a letter dated February 27, 2013, observed that such events "do not reflect an official position of the Council".

In his letter, President Henczel observed 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 July 25, 1996, and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights (rule 7 of the Council's Rules of Procedure)". He notes that "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 however adds that "the organisers of side events take full responsibility for the content of their events".

Sri Lanka on Monday lodged a formal protest against the screening of the latest Channel 4 film.

In his letter addressed to Ambassador Achilles Henczel, Ambassador Aryasinha observed that "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".