Samarasinghe to lead delegation for UPR

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Special Envoy for Human Rights, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe will lead the Government delegation to attend the 14th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva later this month.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process on Sri Lanka’s human rights is scheduled for 1 November 2012. Adoption of the report on Sri Lanka is scheduled for 5 November.

A troika headed by India and included Spain and Benin has been appointed for the review of Sri Lanka. Following Sri Lanka’s review the troika would prepare its report.

All three countries in the troika have voted in support of the UN resolution on Sri Lanka, sponsored by the United States and adapted by the UN Human Rights Council at the 19th sessions of UNHRC in Geneva on 22 March.The report by the troika is to be presented to the UNHRC on 5 November and will be adopted on the same day.

The Sri Lankan Government has prepared and submitted a comprehensive report that included the work carried out by the country with regard to human rights between the period of 2008 and March 2012. Legal advisor to the Cabinet of Ministers Mohan Peiris, officials from the External Affairs Ministry and the Attorney General’s Department are to accompany Minister Samarasinghe.

(www.colombopage.com)