Hon. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, led a high-level Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations’ Durban Review Conference, which was held in Geneva 20-24 April 2009 to evaluate the progress made towards achieving the goals set by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001.

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva briefs Swiss press on Sri Lankan situation

The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva, in collaboration with the Geneva Press Club - Club suisse de la presse –, organised a press conference on the topic of the ‘Current Situation in Sri Lanka’, on 24 April 2009 at ‘la pastorale,’ Geneva.  

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary to the Ministry of Human Rights and Disaster Management and Secretary General, Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process, and Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva were the two main speakers at this press meeting.

The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva, in collaboration with the Geneva Press Club - Club suisse de la presse –, organised a press conference on the topic ‘Current Situation in Sri Lanka’, today (24 April 2009) at ‘la pastorale,’ Geneva.

A high-level delegation led by the Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, which also included the Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services, H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, and Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, Deputy Solicitor General, Attorney General's Department, represented Sri Lanka at the Durban Review Conference.  

Our record of civilian casualties is the best in the world of forces fighting terror: Minister Bathiudeen says at the opening ceremony 

A Photographic Exhibition titled Victims of the War was inaugurated on 21 April 2009 by Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services at the Centre International de Conferences Geneve (CICG) in Geneva, Switzerland. The exhibition is being held from 21^st to 24^th April and is organised by the Media Unit of the Presidential Secretariat and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva.

11^th February 2009

Statement by the Sri Lanka Delegation

The Sri Lanka delegation welcomes the Hon. Tan Sri Rastam Mohammed Isa, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and wishes to congratulate Malaysia for its informative and elaborate report on the human rights situation in Malaysia.

Response of Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat and Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, to discussion of Sri Lanka under Item 4 of the Agenda of the UN Human Rights Council 

Mr President, Sri Lanka is grateful for the concerns expressed for our situation by countries that have, while affirming their commitment to Human Rights, made clear their opposition to terrorism and terrorist activity. Let me also take this opportunity to thank the several countries that have helped us without ostentation in our struggle against terror.

Before the official opening of the 10^th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today, the Sri Lankan delegation led by Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights attended a working breakfast hosted by Permanent Representative Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka for the Asian Ambassadors to brief them about the current situation in Sri Lanka. Thereafter, he addressed the High Level Segment of the Council attended by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navanethem Pillay.

Item 3 on Review, Rationalization and Improvement of the mandate of the Secretary-General for Human Rights in Cambodia Speaking under the above item at the 9th Session of the Human Rights Council on 15 September 2008, Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of  Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, stated the following : 

Mr President,  

Operative Paragraph 5(a) of the Human Rights Council founding resolution 60/251 mandates the Council to promote human rights education and learning as well as advisory services, and to provide technical assistance and capacity-building in consultation with and with the consent of Member States concerned.

In a right of Reply exercised by Sri Lanka following the panel discussion and interactive dialogue on missing persons, under item 3 on Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development at the 9^th Session of the Human Rights Council, on 22 September 2008, Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, Deputy Solicitor-General, Attorney-General’s Department stated the following.

Statement made on behalf of Sri Lanka by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, at the debate on the Universal Periodic Review, at the 9^th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. 

The Universal Periodic Review, Mr President, proved a fascinating exercise. It has been a learning experience for Sri Lanka as well as for many others and, as the decision to have this item on the agenda at this session indicates, this is a show that will go on. We hope that, well before the first act draws to a close, we would all have learned the lessons of faith, hope and charity without which this Council would be as an empty vessel, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. 

Sri Lanka, Mr President, was pleased at the recognition of many of our friends that, though we had problems, we had succeeded in maintaining fundamental social and economic rights for all our people. Our efforts in providing health and education at comparatively high levels even to those of our citizens temporarily under the control of terrorists were appreciated, and we intend to live up to the expectations we have created even as the struggle against terrorism enters a decisive phase.

Statement made on behalf of Sri Lanka by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, during the Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the High-Level Fact Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun.

Sri Lanka welcomes the report of the Fact-Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun and the presentation of Archbishop Tutu. The Mission appreciated the need for thorough investigation before pronouncing on so worrying a situation, and we are sorry that Israel did not feel itself able to cooperate with the Mission. The terrible suffering of the Palestinian people over so many decades is an issue that has worried the world, and we believe Israel, set up through the United Nations, and legitimately concerned about terrorist threats to its existence, should make it clear through cooperation with the United Nations that it subscribes to international norms and law, in its efforts at self defence. Discussion with Israeli personnel was intended to redress the imbalances perceived by Israel, and such discussion should not be denied in a context in which, as even the European Union had indicated, disproportionality was feared.

Statement of Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, responding on behalf of Sri Lanka in the General Debate on ‘Human Rights situations that require the Council’s attention’. 

Sri Lanka is deeply touched by the concern expressed by countries of the European Union for the human rights situation in some countries in Asia and Africa. We hope that, with advances in globalization, such concern will soon be universal. As others here have pointed out, the moral stature this Council should command requires consistency. Though we know this is not easy, we hope all of us will strive to achieve it in time.

Delivered by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat

The Government of Sri Lanka wishes to refute certain assertions made by Amnesty International (AI) on 04 September 2008, in a statement to the Human Rights Council, as to the supposed “severe problems of protection and assistance for displaced persons triggered by the intensification of hostilities”. The Government appreciates Amnesty’s recognition that the situation of the civilians caught up in the conflict is exacerbated by the unwillingness of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to allow these people to move to areas of relative safety and security. The denial of freedom of movement and the right to physical and human security is a serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and the Government calls upon AI and other concerned organizations to continue to pressurize the LTTE to comply with these fundamental norms.

Statement on behalf of the Sri Lanka delegation by Mr. O.L. Ameer Ajwad, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva under agenda item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to education during the 8^th Session of the Human Rights Council, June 4^th 2008

Sri Lanka notes with sadness the emotional and misleading statements of Pax Romana and Interfaith International during the interactive dialogue. The former is well aware that the situation at Kalimoddai is not at all how he represents it. It is certainly not the Garden of Eden, which had a far more dangerous snake as the good father knows, but it is infinitely preferable to the LTTE controlled areas whence the refugees now housed there have fled. They have fled, as the Norwegian Refugee Council so graphically puts it, from forced and underage recruitment, from a situation where, as a recent UN report has it, marriages are being cancelled so that more youngsters can be forced to fight.

Sri Lankan Response to the Report of Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions 

The Eighth Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is currently being held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. During the Interactive dialogue held today on the reports of the UN Special Rapporteurs, Sri Lanka responded to the report of Mr. Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions. Given below is the statement made on this occasion by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace process.

Sri Lankan Response to the Report of Mr. Walter Kälin,Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.

The Eighth Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is currently being held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. During the Interactive dialogue held today on the reports of the UN Special Rapporteurs, Sri Lanka responded to the report Walter Kälin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons. Given below is the statement made on this occasion by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace process.

Let me begin by extending our sympathies to the people of China and Myanmar who have suffered rom the recent natural disasters. Despite its own difficulties Sri Lanka tried to provide some assistance, not just because we have been beneficiaries of such in times of difficulty, but also because as the High Commissioner said, this is the duty of governments.