Sri Lanka tells UN ‘looking forward to objectivity, lack of bias from Pillay’
Tuesday, 10 September 2013 00:28
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Lanka fires first salvo at opening day of UNHRC 24th Session
Sri Lanka’s Envoy to Geneva says Navi Pillay had “unfettered access”
Govt. is committed to protecting rights defenders
Claims has taken several steps to address reconciliation and accountability concerns
Urges Pillay not to give credence to unsubstantiated claims by diaspora groups
Amid criticism over allegations about alleged intimidation of rights activists, the Sri Lankan Government yesterday fired its first salvo at the 24th UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva, saying it looked forward to an objective and unbiased report by High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay following her recent fact-finding mission to the island.
Delivering Sri Lanka’s National Statement at the Council’s inaugural meetings last evening, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha said that Pillay had enjoyed “unfettered access” to assess firsthand the ongoing reconciliation process in the country.
“This would also enable her to be better placed not to give credence to unsubstantiated allegations of those with vested interests and agendas, largely driven by certain extreme elements in the Sri Lankan diaspora," he said.
Addressing Pillay’s immediate concern for the protection of human rights defenders, journalists and communities with whom she met during her visit in Sri Lanka, as outlined in the High Commissioner’s opening statement, Ambassador Aryasinha said the Government was fully committed to protecting rights activists and defenders.
“In this regard the Government had requested the High Commissioner and her office to provide specific information of such incidents, if any,” he said. However, the Sri Lankan Envoy noted that the Government does not wish to add credence to unsubstantiated allegations that are made for political purposes by certain groups with vested interests.
Appraising the Human Rights Council of progress with regard to the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka since its last session in June 2013, Ambassador Aryasinha highlighted that in July the Government accepted an additional 53 recommendations of the LLRC to be implemented.
“In August the inquiry into the case of the killing of five students in Trincomalee commenced, a three-member commission was appointed to investigate missing persons related to the conflict and the Police was placed within a newly-created Ministry of Law and Order,” Aryasinha told the Council.
The Ambassador said these steps once again prove those who doubted the will of the Government wrong.
