Monday, 9 September 2013 00:13
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UN Human Rights Council’s 24th sessions kicks off today
Pillay’s oral report on Lanka on 25 September
Govt. will respond in full after Pillay’s submission
Ravinatha to head Sri Lanka delegation
AG’s Dept. officials fly to Geneva to offer legal support during 24th Session
President to attend UNGA in New York after elections
By Dharisha Bastians
Focus will shift once more to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva when the 24th Session of the 47-member body commences today, bringing Sri Lanka’s human rights record back into focus one week after the organisation’s top Envoy on Human Rights concluded a visit to the island.
The Session will commence at 10 a.m. Geneva time. The Sri Lankan Delegation to the 24th Session of the Council will be led by the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha.
Geneva...
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who concluded her fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka last weekend with a stinging report that irked the Government in Colombo, will present her oral report to the Council on 25 September, shortly before the end of Session on 27 September. Pillay’s office was mandated to update the Council on implementation of Resolution 22/1 against Sri Lanka, urging the country to promote reconciliation and accountability.
In a pre-release of her opening statement to the 24th Session of the UNHRC, High Commissioner Pillay makes brief reference to Sri Lanka. Pillay thanks the Sri Lankan authorities for facilitating what she called her “comprehensive visit” but also expresses concerns about reprisals against human rights defenders, journalists and communities that held discussions with her during her fact-finding mission.
“I will be reporting on my observations later in the session, but wish to stress my immediate concern for the protection of human rights defenders, journalists and communities I met during my visit from any reprisal, intimidation or attack,” Pillay’s opening statement warns.
The Government has already responded to some remarks made by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Presidential Special Envoy on Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe said.
“Sri Lanka will be able to present a fuller response after her report is released to the Council,” he added.
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who has traditionally led delegations to the UNHRC, has not been tasked with the responsibility for the September sessions. “I have led delegations to the UNHRC for the last seven years. But this time, so far there is no decision to send me,” Samarasinghe told the media yesterday.
The Minister said that Sri Lanka’s mission in Geneva will handle the session and added that four officials from the Attorney General’s Department have already flown to Geneva to lend the Government team legal support during the Session.
“I will be asked to go only depending on the need. So let us see how the UN High Commissioner’s report is, and accordingly a decision will be made,” he said.
Samarasinghe said that he would be willing to go “even tomorrow” if the President requested it.
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is also scheduled to fly to New York later this month to attend the UN General Assembly sessions. The Presidential delegation is expected to leave for New York soon after the Northern Provincial Council elections. High level meetings at UNGA commence on 23 September.
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, a key decision making body in the Commonwealth that measures member states’ compliance to Commonwealth values and principles, is also scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the General Assembly Session, on 27 September.
