Special Media Release On the UN Human Rights Council
Sessions in Geneva
| by Tissa Attanayake MP
( February 27, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) If at the 22nd sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council a situation which is prejudicial to Sri Lanka arises, the entire responsibility should be borne by the government led by the President, especially Ministers Prof. G.L.Peiris and Mahinda Samarasinghe who participated at last year's UN General Assembly and the UNHRC sessions promising the international community the sun, moon and stars.
According to reports at the current Geneva sessions, a Resolution against Sri Lanka is will be presented by a group of countries headed by the U.SA. India too will be extending its support, However, cabinet spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, says, '…according to the whims of the international community, as a country we are not prepared to go down on our knees before them'. Thus the government is continuing to hide the truth from the masses and marking time with mere verbal bravado.
We believe that the people have a right to know the real situation that prevails today.
At the 2012 UNHRC sessions in Geneva, a Resolution under US auspices was passed, urging Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) Report. These recommendations were compiled by a Commission appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself, and it was the belief of the entire government, including the President, that these recommendations should be duly implemented. Moreover, at the 2012 Geneva UNHRC sessions, Minister Samarasinghe assured the international community that they would indeed be implemented, and Professor G.L. Peiris participating at last year's UN General Assembly sessions, too confirmed this idea.
Regarding the position of India, what must be remembered is that in May 2009, at the UNHRC sessions, when the Resolution was brought against Sri Lanka, She supported Sri Lanka by voting against the Resolution. However, subsequently, Sri Lankan representatives led by Professor Peiris were still meting unfulfilled promises to India, saying that the 13th Amendment would be fully implemented, and that the Provincial Council elections in the North would be expeditiously held. However, since nothing positive has thus far been achieved, inter state trust between the two nations are frayed. If India this time votes against Sri Lanka, it would not be any surprise or wonder and that responsibility should be borne by this government for having promised the sun, moon and stars to the Indian government, leaving them only with yet unfulfilled and false promises.
Presently at the UNHRC, an unfavourable situation has arisen for Sri Lanka, not for any other reason, but solely because of the unfulfilled promises given to the international community by the government and its Ministers, has boomeranged on the government itself.
In this situation, the government is intent on just expressing empty rhetoric and bravado against the international community and attempts to please the people of this country, and when this is not possible, the responsibility is then heaped on one or two ministers and thereby President Rajapaksa saves his own skin. Yet, we must not forget that without the knowledge of the President, not a single hair of any Minister can fall to the ground. The entire government led by the President is accountable for the sorry situation that is prevailing in Geneva.
Finally, what is regrettable is that, those who finally have to bear the consequences of all this, are the innocent people who have no idea whatsoever what all this is about.
( Tissa Attanayake is a Member of Parliament and the General Secretary, United National Party )
