The US Assistant Secretary of Bureau of International Organisation Affairs has said that the UN Human Rights Council needs to continue to work on Sri Lanka, as long as Sri Lanka continues to fail to address the underlying causes of the ethnic conflict.
Esther Brimmer spoke during the High Level Segment on Tuesday, of the 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva and said the US will again introduce a resolution on Sri Lanka.
The Assistant Secretary praised the work done by the Council on advancing the “true universality of human rights worldwide” but added that in spite of many achievements, the work of the Human Rights Council remains unfinished and it must “devote itself” to “unfinished tasks” during the current session and beyond, highlighting Syria, North Korea, Sri Lanka and the council’s treatment of Israel.
“The Council’s work remains unfinished so long as Sri Lanka continues to fall short in implementing even the recommendations of its own Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission, or in addressing the underlying sources of its longstanding ethnic conflict.
“Last year’s HRC resolution encouraged brave civil society groups on the ground to continue their efforts, and the United States will introduce another resolution at this session to ensure that the international community continues to monitor progress, and to again offer assistance on outstanding reconciliation and accountability issues. The United States hopes this resolution will be a cooperative effort with the Sri Lankan government.”
The Sri Lankan Counsellor of the Permanent Mission in Geneva strongly criticised the US for drawing “disproportionate attention towards Sri Lanka”.
Priyanga Wicremasinghe used Sri Lanka’s “Right to Reply” to object to the US statement for being “unfair and biased”.
"We strongly reject any unfair, biased, unprincipled and unjust approach that may be adopted by this Council towards the protection and promotion of Human Rights of Sri Lanka.
"Sri Lanka is therefore firmly of the view that this Council should not embark upon or encourage either debate or any country-specific resolution by virtue of a singled out process which would run counter to the founding principles as elaborated above. Doing so will clearly reflects an application of double standards."
"It is in such context that my delegation is surprised by the statement made by the US delegate drawing disproportionate attention towards Sri Lanka. It is especially so, at a time when having overcome a 30-year long terrorist conflict, as well as having averted what many feared would be a ‘humanitarian catastrophe’, Sri Lanka is implementing a comprehensive process of reconciliation involving all communities based on the National Action Plan on the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC.
"Sri Lanka should be encouraged in its endeavour in this reconciliation process, rather than being singled out for any disproportionate attention in this Council."
