Samarasinghe returns to Geneva as Channel 4 readies to release second video

Head of the Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe is to return to Geneva to attend the sessions on Wednesday (14).

Minister Samarasinghe is to head another team of Sri Lankan delegates to the UNHRC sessions.

The main aim of the delegation would be to lobby the international community on Sri Lanka’s position on the United States backed draft resolution that has been presented to the Council against the Sri Lankan Government.

The draft resolution needs the approval of 15 out of the 47 UNHRC member states to be able to present it to the Council as a motion.

Samarasinghe has said that the Sri Lankan delegation would commence a diplomatic offensive this week in order to prevent the draft resolution from receiving approval to be presented as a motion. The situation has intensified after Channel 4 announced that they would release a second documentary on Sri Lanka on Wednesday, provoking a storm of protest from the Government.

Reports have quoted the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) of readying to probe the second video once it is released.

The US backed draft resolution against Sri Lanka to calls for the Government to implement the constructive recommendations in the LLRC report and take measures to initiate a credible and independent investigation into accountability issues.

It requests the Government to present a comprehensive action plan on the measures to be initiated for implementation of the LLRC recommendations.

Several member states, especially China, Russia and Pakistan, have shown support to Sri Lanka to fend off the resolution arguing that the UN should not address country-specific situations.

Sri Lankan delegation earlier said it has received support from several nations including the members of the Non-Align Movement, Organisation of Islamic Countries and African states.

However Sri Lanka’s closest ally and the neighbour, India, pressured by the Tamil Nadu state where over 60 million Tamils live, remains silent on the issue.

Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam has said that the present climate at the Human Rights Council is in Sri Lanka’s favour, but more work need to be done to garner support from member states to defeat the resolution.

Sri Lanka will fight the resolution “to the very last minute” the Ambassador has said. (www.colombopage.com)