UNHRC report Milder than expected- President
2015-09-19
President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday the report on Sri Lanka presented at the ongoing UNHRC sessions in Geneva was 100 or even 1,000 times less harmful than the report that would have been presented at the UNHRC if not for the change that took place on January 8.
At a meeting with the Editors and media organization heads at the President’s House, the President flanked by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the action taken by the government to address Human Rights and Governance issues and moves towards reconciliation had resulted in the International Community’s growing confidence in Sri Lanka.
He said there was a danger of several names being included in the report, but the positive image presented to the world by the current government had prevented such an eventuality. The President said the international community had given a good response to the work done by the government where there were many concerns earlier.
He said the government was following a non-aligned foreign policy which was bearing fruit and that the 19th Amendment which pruned certain Executive Powers of the President and broadened the democratic space was not only beneficial to the citizens of the country but also built up Sri Lanka’s image internationally.
The President said it was best for the country to have a government without Mahinda Rajapaksa to move forward and added that certain extremist elements were trying unsuccessfully to create problems.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the names did not come up in the UNHRC probe report because of the hard work of the government in the international front. He said it was the successive steps taken by the previous Rajapaksa regime after it entered into an agreement with United Nations Secretary General which led to the probe on Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister said he was not even given a chance to meet the UN Secretary General when he came to Sri Lanka at that time and when he saw the agreement which was reached he knew it was going to be troublesome for the country.
He said now the current government was working in a positive manner to deal with those issues and address the concerns through a domestic mechanism and that the matters would be dealt with after the Paranagama and Udalagama commission reports are presented. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on October 30, the international community which was divided over Sri Lanka earlier would stand behind the country in a united manner.
Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe and Media Minister Gayantha Karunatilleka were also present at the meeting.
.jpg)
2015-09-19
President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday the report on Sri Lanka presented at the ongoing UNHRC sessions in Geneva was 100 or even 1,000 times less harmful than the report that would have been presented at the UNHRC if not for the change that took place on January 8.
At a meeting with the Editors and media organization heads at the President’s House, the President flanked by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the action taken by the government to address Human Rights and Governance issues and moves towards reconciliation had resulted in the International Community’s growing confidence in Sri Lanka.
He said there was a danger of several names being included in the report, but the positive image presented to the world by the current government had prevented such an eventuality. The President said the international community had given a good response to the work done by the government where there were many concerns earlier.
He said the government was following a non-aligned foreign policy which was bearing fruit and that the 19th Amendment which pruned certain Executive Powers of the President and broadened the democratic space was not only beneficial to the citizens of the country but also built up Sri Lanka’s image internationally.
The President said it was best for the country to have a government without Mahinda Rajapaksa to move forward and added that certain extremist elements were trying unsuccessfully to create problems.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the names did not come up in the UNHRC probe report because of the hard work of the government in the international front. He said it was the successive steps taken by the previous Rajapaksa regime after it entered into an agreement with United Nations Secretary General which led to the probe on Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister said he was not even given a chance to meet the UN Secretary General when he came to Sri Lanka at that time and when he saw the agreement which was reached he knew it was going to be troublesome for the country.
He said now the current government was working in a positive manner to deal with those issues and address the concerns through a domestic mechanism and that the matters would be dealt with after the Paranagama and Udalagama commission reports are presented. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on October 30, the international community which was divided over Sri Lanka earlier would stand behind the country in a united manner.
Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe and Media Minister Gayantha Karunatilleka were also present at the meeting.
