Reacting to the latest UN resolution on Sri Lanka, UK Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, and the UN, Lord Tariq Ahmad said it was "integral to establish truth and achieve lasting justice and reconciliation."
The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted resolution 51/L1 on Sri Lanka yesterday, which will “extend and reinforce the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve” evidence that may be used in future war crimes trials.
"Our focus should now turn to our collective and renewed ability to work with the new Government of Sri Lanka to take forward their commitments to the Council. We call on UNHRC members to support this effort, and to work together to address the economic challenges faced by the people of Sri Lanka," Lord Ahmad said in a press release.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry slammed the resolution as "divisive and polarising", maintaining that the country "categorically rejects the UNHRC resolution".
In his statement, he further asserted that the resolution violated the founding principles of the UN and claimed his confidence in Sri Lanka's domestic mechanisms.
The resolution was passed with 20 votes in favour, 7 against and 20 abstentions. This is the lowest number of member states that have backed Sri Lanka in a vote at the UN Human Rights Council since resolutions on accountability were first passed in 2012.
