• Vijitha Herath cites regional bloc country member groups holding collective view, pro-GoSL votes declining, confrontation being counterproductive 
• To introduce PTA-repeal new counter-terror law protecting HR and aligning with int’l conventions, HR friendly OSA amendments, TRC Bill, inde. prosecutor
• PC Polls after addressing delimitation process issues 

The Government yesterday (9) attempted to explain why Sri Lanka refrained from seeking a vote on the recent United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution that extended a project to gather evidence of alleged HR violations in Sri Lanka, including in the context of the internal conflict.

Speaking in the Parliament, New Democratic Front Opposition Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake questioned as to why the Sri Lankan delegation did not seek a vote.

In response, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath said that according to the UNHRC’s structure and composition, it is difficult for a country like Sri Lanka to win a vote. He explained that although all sovereign countries can cast one vote at the UN General Assembly in New York, United States, the UNHRC in Geneva, Switzerland, is different, as out of the 193 UN Member States, only 47 can be members at a given time and that too for a three-year period. 

He added: “This membership is allocated based on regions. Since regional country groups usually hold a collective view, Europe being an example, it is rare for a resolution presented to the UNHRC to be defeated. In Sri Lanka’s case, only one resolution concerning Sri Lanka has ever been won. That was the resolution brought by our own Government in 2009. After that, all resolutions concerning Sri Lanka that were put to a vote saw the Government’s stance defeated. At the same time, the number of votes in favour of the Sri Lankan Government has gradually declined, while the number of countries remaining neutral has increased.” 

Herath blamed former governments for spending public funds to hold meetings and visits to other countries in a bid to garner votes, despite the clear trend of declining support. 

He opined that acting in a confrontational manner by seeking a vote would only block the space to resolve the HR issues currently being discussed at the international level through domestic mechanisms. 

He added that the Government has however rejected the recent resolution and explained the grounds for its rejection.

He further told the Parliament that Sri Lanka’s domestic mechanisms have been recognised and welcomed by the UNHRC on several occasions, and that the Government is in the process of strengthening and making independent the law enforcement agencies dealing with HR, the Judiciary, and institutions such as the Office on Missing Persons, the Office for Reparations and the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation. According to him, the Government will soon introduce a counter-terrorism law that protects HR and aligns with internationally recognised conventions to replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act as amended (PTA), and that it intends to introduce HR–respecting amendments to the Online Safety Act (OSA). Herath revealed that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Bill will soon be passed in the Parliament to facilitate the commencement of the TRC’s functions, and that the Government intends to establish an independent prosecutor’s office.

Meanwhile, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi Opposition MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam questioned the Government’s stance on Provincial Councils, which was discussed at the recent UNHRC session. Herath explained that issues pertaining to the delimitation process will be addressed, after which the Elections will be held under either a new or the previous system.