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