“No positive constructive change is possible in any given country, without the support of its neighbours and those of the continent to which it belongs.” Vedio: No move against Sri Lanka at the 7th Session of the HRC_________________________________
(March 31, Geneva, Sri Lanka Guardian) “Sri Lanka wishes to associate itself with the sentiments expressed by the distinguished representatives of China, the Philippines and Pakistan on this issue of the resolution on Myanmar,” said Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations at the Seventh Session of the Human Rights Council prior to the adoption of the Resolution titled “Situation of human rights in Myanmar” A/HRC/7/L.36.
According to the statement released by Dr. Dayan over the resolution, “Mr. President, her Excellency the Ambassador of the Philippines mentioned in passing the engagement of Myanmar with the International Labour Organization. I would like to use that mention, that reference, to draw attention to a far more balanced and fair manner of dealing with the Myanmar situation, and that was the resolution that was passed just a week or so ago in the International Labour Organization at its Governing Body Meeting.”
“Unfortunately, Mr. President, that sense of balance and realism is not displayed in this resolution that is before us. In everything, Mr. President, there has to be a sense of proportion. When the situation in Myanmar was dramatic and urgent, the Council responded in a spirit of almost unanimity. The situation has improved, Mr. President. The situation in Myanmar is not static. The system is not hermetically closed and sealed. Now that change, however modest, however molecular, is important, and it has not been registered in the draft resolution that we find before us,” he noted.
“Mr. President, no positive constructive change is possible in any given country, without the support of its neighbours and those of the continent to which it belongs. I would therefore urge those who wish to take action on Myanmar to be guided far more than they have been, by the almost unanimous sentiments of Myanmar’s neighbours and those of us in Asia, the continent in which Myanmar is located. I agree with the representative of Pakistan who flagged the intrusive character of the present resolution,” he added.
About Video: Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka - Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Geneva.
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The four-week-long Seventh Session of the UN Human Rights Council which was held from 3rd to 28th March will conclude its work in Geneva today, with Sri Lanka as one of its 47 members, actively participating in the deliberations.
The Council took action on more than 35 resolutions and decisions on the promotion and protection of human rights and Sri Lanka was not on its agenda once again. There was no action taken by the Council on the country's human rights situation in any of the three standard forms, namely a resolution, a special session or a statement by the President of the Council. A clear majority of members of the Council showed their solidarity with Sri Lanka in its efforts to promote and protect human rights while combating terrorism.
Reference to Sri Lanka's human rights situation was made by several Western countries and Sri Lankan and international NGOs which attended the Seventh Session. However, such criticism fell well short of gaining necessary support within the Council for any specific action on Sri Lanka due to a successful briefing campaign spearheaded by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva. This campaign was a part of Sri Lanka's long-standing policy of open and constructive engagement with the international community on human rights issues.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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