Mr. President,
Sri Lanka has regularly shared our progress and challenges in an open exchange with this Council and other organs of the United Nations. It is in this spirit of transparency, candour and openness that I make this address to the current session of the Council.
The international community is aware of the grave social and economic situation that Sri Lanka has been faced with in recent weeks. While this situation has been aggravated by ongoing global crises including the pandemic, the focus of the protests has consisted of demands for economic relief and institutional reform. In recognition of these challenges and in moving forward in an inclusive manner, we consider it crucial to heed the aspirations of all segments of our people, in particular, the youth.
At the Interactive Dialogue on the written update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka, which concluded on 7 March 2022, Sri Lanka received overwhelming support from countries of the Global South who expressed support for the Government’s significant efforts towards reconciliation and reiterated the importance of objective and constructive cooperation as the fundamental basis for multilateral engagement.
Of the 45 countries that spoke at the Interactive Dialogue, 31 spoke in support of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka received cross-regional support from a broad spectrum of states of South, South East and Central Asia and the African Group. The 31 countries that spoke in favour of Sri Lanka were Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Philippines, Nepal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Maldives, China, Cuba, Japan, Syrian Arab Republic, Viet Nam, DPRK, Venezuela, Nigeria, Pakistan, Cambodia, the Russian Federation, Lebanon, Uganda, Belarus, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, South Sudan, Lao PDR, Yemen, Iran, Niger, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh and Azerbaijan.
Mr. President,
The Resolution 46/1 on Sri Lanka was adopted by a divided vote in this Council. Sri Lanka and other Member States opposed this resolution in fundamental disagreement with its deeply flawed procedure and unacceptable content, in particular its OP para 6 regarding a so-called evidence-gathering mechanism. The Resolution was directly contrary to the Council’s founding principles of impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity. It went well beyond the mandate that Member States conferred on it by UNGA Resolution 60/251. I have stated Sri Lanka’s views on this matter to this Council on 01 March. We also submitted in a timely manner our comments on the High Commissioner’s report. We note with regret that the Secretariat failed to publish this simultaneously with the High Commissioner’s written update.
Despite our rejection of the resolution, we will continue our voluntary international undertakings on human rights and engage with the United Nations, including with this Council. As stated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka to our Parliament on 18 January 2022, “We are a nation that respects international laws and conventions”. We have regularly shared our progress and challenges in a candid and open exchange with this Council and other relevant organs of the United Nations system.
Mr. President,
Sri Lanka is an active participant in the multilateral framework to realize the promotion and protection of human rights.
Fundamental rights are embodied in our Constitution, progressively advanced through our democratically elected organs of government and enforced through our independent judiciary. Despite multiple challenges we have faced from terrorism, we have restored peace, security and the rule of law throughout the country. Our democratic traditions and independent institutions ensure free and fair elections at regular intervals through universal adult franchise. We will further advance the considerable progress we have made in post-conflict recovery and healing. For this, we have put in place domestic institutions for reconciliation, accountability and social justice.
Through this Council, we have completed 3 mutually beneficial Universal Periodic Reviews, engaged in constructive dialogue with the Treaty Bodies, welcomed Special Procedures Mandate Holders, and held frank and open discussions with domestic and international interlocutors. We have benefitted from the considerable expertise available with the UN on human rights including through its technical cooperation and capacity building programs. Through the UN country team, we value the ongoing support to our domestic processes on reconciliation and achievement of SDGs.
Human Rights Council 48th Regular Session
Agenda Item 2: Oral update on Sri Lanka by the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Statement by Hon. Prof. G.L. Peiris Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka (Geneva, 14 September 2021)
Madam President,
Let me begin by reiterating our strong and continued cooperation with this Council and the United Nations mandated human rights system, in keeping with our Constitution and our international obligations voluntarily undertaken.
Twelve years ago, Sri Lanka eradicated LTTE terrorism on its soil. We have restored peace, security and stability for the benefit of our people. We held firm to our democratic traditions and elections were held at regular intervals with high levels of voter participation – most recently at the 2019 Presidential and 2020 Parliamentary polls. The Government is committed to holding the Provincial Council elections at the earliest.
Madam President,
Sri Lanka believes that sports and international sporting events should serve as a platform to promote inclusiveness and cooperation among the community of nations. The importance of the Olympics as a significant global opportunity in this regard cannot be over-emphasised.
In 2018, Sri Lanka chaired the Social Forum of this Council which brought together many participants from around the world to discuss how sports and the Olympic ideal can contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and human rights. We hope that the Council and all stakeholders will continue further action in this direction.
Madame President,
Sri Lanka takes note of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the Situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories and wishes to express regret at the serious escalation in violence in the territory following evictions, demolitions, settlement expansion and settler violence. We deeply regret that the outbreak of violent hostilities in May caused wanton loss of many civilian lives. The long-term effects of such violence on infrastructure including water, sanitation and electricity will only lead to the suffering of the people of the Palestinian Territories.
We appreciate the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in responding to the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian Territories and call on the international community to strengthen support for their activities. We also highlight the paramount importance of addressing the aggravated humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories, including the provision of urgent healthcare including vaccines and therapeutics, and social and economic assistance to the populations affected by hostilities.
Sri Lanka re-iterates its consistent and principled position regarding the right of the Palestinian people to statehood and to the natural resources in their territory and re-iterates the importance of the early implementation of the relevant UNGA resolutions. We remain committed to supporting a negotiated settlement in line with the internationally agreed parameters of two states living side by side on the basis of the 1967 borders, which is key to achieving long term security, peace and prosperity.
I thank you
- Statement delivered by Sri Lanka during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants at the 47th session of the Human Rights Council
- Statement delivered by Sri Lanka during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to health at the 47th session of the Human Rights Council
- 47th session of the Human Rights Council: Statement delivered by Sri Lanka at the Right of Reply segment of the Interactive Dialogue on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights