2012-06-20COLOMBO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Wednesday said it has invited the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillai to visit the country and see firsthand the post war developments in the country.
Pillai has been very critical of the human rights situation on the island and has backed calls for an international investigation into some of the incidents which took place during the final stages of the 30-year war between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan army.
The External Affairs Ministry said that the Sri Lankan Mission to the UN in Geneva told the High Commissioner that Sri Lanka hopes she will make use of an invitation initially extended to her in April last year.
The High Commissioner's office has already sought clearance for a delegation from her office to visit the country before she decides on her visit and the External Affairs Ministry said it will respond to that request this week.
The External Affairs Ministry also said that despite the setbacks by a resolution being adopted on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council recently, Sri Lanka will continue to proactively and voluntarily engage with UN mechanisms including Special Procedures, Treaty Bodies and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to provide the international community with a comprehensive update on the related developments.
The Sri Lankan Mission to Geneva informed the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva which is currently having its 20th session that the resolution adopted on Sri Lanka at the last regular session had caused mistrust about international processes among the people of Sri Lanka and run counter to domestic efforts.
"We are mindful of these concerns of our people, and will therefore resolutely pursue a home grown solution on reconciliation which has their endorsement. Considering the gamut of changes that the country has undergone in the post-conflict scenario, it is paramount that Sri Lanka is provided time and space to overcome its own challenges," the External Affairs Ministry quoted the Sri Lankan mission as saying.
Sri Lanka also told the council that it remains committed to pursuing the implementation of the recommendations of its domestic reconciliation mechanism, the LLRC, and some of the recommendations are already being implemented.
