While strongly repudiating UN Human Rights Chief Navinethem Pillay’s assertion that if certain concerns are not comprehensively addressed, she believes ‘the international community will have a duty to establish its own inquiry mechanisms’, Sri Lanka said that she has no mandate to make such a claim.

In response to Pillay’s remarks, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha said, “having brought normalcy to the lives of the civilian population, GOSL has also taken positive steps to address issues of accountability. The GOSL strongly repudiates the High Commissioner’s assertion that if certain concerns are not comprehensively addressed, she believes “the international community will have a duty to establish its own inquiry mechanisms”. We also note that the HC has no mandate to make such a claim. Multiple mechanisms to address accountability have been put in place and are in motion as a continuous progression from the LLRC process.”

Criticising several other allegations levelled against Sri Lanka, Mr. Aryasinha said, “The Sri Lankan government strongly refutes the HC’s view that the human rights situation in Sri Lanka remains critically important”. As pointed out many times in this Council by my delegation, the disproportionate attention paid to Sri Lanka, largely at the behest of parties with vested interests, considerably complicates the on-going delicate process of reconciliation. Sri Lanka is not a situation that requires the urgent and immediate attention of the Council. Sri Lanka needs to be encouraged, not impeded.”

Statement by Sri Lanka as concerned for the Oral update of the High Commissioner- Agenda Item 2 >>

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)