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UNHRC Resolution violates SL’s sovereignty, territorial integrity: Ambassador Aryasinha
View(s):Sri Lanka accused the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) of violating the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by entertaining the US resolution for an international mechanism to probe alleged war crimes. Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative at the UN in Geneva, Ravinatha Ariyasinha was making an intervention at the Council sessions on Friday.
His remarks came as a women’s group protested outside the US Embassy in Colombo and accused UN HR Commissioner Navi Pillay of not allowing the country “room to breathe”, after the end of a cruel 30-year-old war.A bali thovila (a ritualistic devil dancing ceremony to appease different deities to ward off evil influences) was also to be held along Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, opposite the UN office in Colombo, with a stage erected for a ceremony. However, later the stage was moved to Galle Face Green, where a small group including Buddhist monks had gathered.
Ambassador Aryasinha said the draft resolution also sets a bad precedent, and can, in the medium-to-long term, have an adverse impact on all developing countries in the Council. He said that the intention of presenting yet another resolution on Sri Lanka in the Council, was made known by the US to the GoSL in January this year, long before the UN HR Commissioner’s Report was available, thus making clear that the process and the intent to do so were led by political imperatives, rather than an objective assessment of the situation on the ground, which, as per Council mandate, would have needed to base its assessment on the High Commissioner’s Report.