High Commissioner Pillay Has No Mandate To Set Deadlines On Sri Lanka Says Ambassador Aryasinha
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha told the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday (25 September 2013) “Sri Lanka strongly repudiates the High Commissioner’s assertion that if certain concerns are not comprehensively addressed before March 2014, she believes the international community will have a duty to establish its own inquiry mechanisms”. The Ambassador said High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay had “no mandate to make such a claim”. He said having accomplished the task of bringing normalcy to the lives of the civilian population, GOSL has put in place “multiple mechanisms” to address concerns relating to accountability.
Ravinatha Aryasinha
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when as the Leader of the Sri Lanka delegation to the 24 Session of the Human Rights Council, he responded to an ‘oral update’ on “Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka” held during the ongoing session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. He made clear that notwithstanding Sri Lanka’s rejection of resolution 22/1, the Government has continued with its commitment to the reconciliation process within the framework of the National Plan of Action on the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC and had kept the Council informed on developments.
In a comprehensive statement which outlined Sri Lanka’s position on a range of issues that were raised, the Ambassador detailed action underway to probe alleged killings including the 5 students in Trincomalee where the case commenced earlier this month and 30 witnesses have been summoned to appear on October 29th, the lines of investigation into the ACF case, the status on the Army Court of Inquiry into the Channel 4 allegations, investigation into custodial deaths of prisoners in Vavuniya and Welikada. He also provided details on the 3 member Commission appointed to Investigate Allegations of Abductions and Disappearances related to the conflict, cooperation with the ICRC on missing persons and the engagement with the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance (WGEID). Read More
