British Foreign Sec sets out Sri Lanka resolution as priority on UNHRC opening day

by Abi
Feb 22, 2021

The UK government will present a new resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), to maintain focus on reconciliation and accountability, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said today.

In his statement to the Council on its opening session, Raab said that the UK government would continue to lead action at the UNHRC on Syria, South Sudan, "and on Sri Lanka, where we will present a new resolution to maintain the focus on reconciliation and on accountability."

"We want to see an effective international human rights system that holds to account those who systematically violate human rights," the Foreign Secretary added, further stating "the Human Rights Council must be ready to play its role in full, or I fear we will see its reputation sorely damaged."

A draft of the resolution put forward on Sri Lanka includes calls for war crimes evidence collection, but the resolution has been criticised as weak, especially on accountability, and for failing to take on board the recommendations of the latest report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Read more: Draft UN resolution on Sri Lanka calls for war crimes evidence collection but falls short on accountability

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