UNHRC to consider Sri Lanka report today

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is set to consider the report on reconciliation, human rights and accountability in Geneva at the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council today(March 20). The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Geneva stated that Sri Lanka's report will be considered in the 1st session. A resolution headed by the United States on Sri Lanka was passed at the United Nations Human Rights Commission on October 1st 2015. Sri Lanka was a co-sponsors on this resolution. At the UNHRC session in March 2017, Sri Lanka was granted an extension of a period of 2 years to fulfill these obligations. The High Commissioner on Human Rights is due to present a complete report on the completion of the recommendations on the report today (March 20). The actions taken on Sri Lanka by the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner will be based on this report. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the relevant suggestions sponsored by Sri Lanka will be presented to the council tomorrow (March 21). It added the Sri Lankan delegation are currently in Geneva. They will remain there until the 22nd of this month. The delegation headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana comprises of MP Dr Sarath Amunugama, Governor of the Northern Province Dr Suren Raghavan, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Ravinatha Aryasinha and Deputy Solicitor General A. Nerin Pulle. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative in Geneva A. L. A. Azeez and Deputy Permanent Representative Samantha Jayasuriya will also represent SL at the sessions. In the meantime, a fresh resolution on Sri Lanka on reconciliation, human rights and accountability, is to be presented at the Human Rights Council Session in Geneva by a core group including Great Britain. The government has announced that they are prepared to co-sponsor this resolution so as to get a two-year extension.

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