{"id":19058,"date":"2013-03-25T06:54:11","date_gmt":"2013-03-25T10:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=19058"},"modified":"2013-03-25T06:54:11","modified_gmt":"2013-03-25T10:54:11","slug":"is-there-any-other-country-which-has-attracted-this-kind-of-focus-asks-prof-gl-peiris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=19058","title":{"rendered":"“Is There Any Other Country Which Has Attracted This Kind of Focus”?-Asks Prof.GL Peiris"},"content":{"rendered":"

By <\/p>\n

Shamindra Ferdinando<\/strong><\/p>\n

External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris said yesterday that the second US sponsored resolution was meant to ensure that Sri Lanka would come up for consideration as part of United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) agenda every six months, with human rights chief Navi Pillay to brief the council at its 24th sessions in September this year.<\/p>\n

It was to be followed by the presentation of a comprehensive report to the 25th sessions in March 2014, Minister Peiris told The Island in a brief interview following last Thursday\u2019s vote in Geneva. The presentation at the 25th sessions would pave the way for a discussion, the minister said, alleging that an obvious attempt was being made to ensure continuous attention on Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An irate Prof. Peiris said that rights chief Pillay continued to shift the goal post much to the discomfort of the government. The minister said that Pillay hadn\u2019t visited Sri Lanka, though she was invited 11 months before the US moved its first resolution in Geneva in March last year. The rights chief said that her visit would depend on two conditions, namely the release of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report and a visit by UN technical staff headed by Hanny Megally, Chief, Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Branch, Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and his team of officials. Although Megally\u2019s team had been here last September, Pillay was yet to come, though she appreciated the government facilitating the visit.<\/p>\n

Would human rights chief visit Sri Lanka before she made a presentation to the 24th sessions in coming September or would she avoid the country, the minister said.<\/p>\n

Alleging that the Pillay\u2019s outfit was working to an agenda, the minister said that HRC was unfair and even more political than its predecessor, the human rights commission ever was. Rights chief Pillay should observe what was going on in former war zones with her own eyes, the minister said. Had Pillay done that she would have easily comprehended post-war reconciliation process ranging from resettlement of the internally displaced persons to rehabilitation of ex-combatants.<\/p>\n

Prof. Peiris highlighted the illogicality in the second US resolution in its original form being sponsored by 29 European and two North American governments, whereas other regions remained aloof. The minister alleged that decisions weren\u2019t made on merit or issues relating to a particular situation but purely on a political agenda. In this case Sri Lanka being the target, the minister said, adding that of the 24 countries, which finally voted for the amended US resolution, 12 were either EU members or those waiting to join the grouping.<\/p>\n

Responding to a query, the minister said that the resolution triggered violence in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, though Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka basically ignored it as they realized there was no basis for allegations. But the resolution brought about dissent, discord and violence in India, the minister pointed out, while querying whether the US and those who sponsored the disputed proposal could now be happy. Commenting on the move to take up Sri Lanka at Geneva and various other international forums, Minister Peiris said it could have a destabilizing impact on India.<\/p>\n

Prof. Peiris alleged that the original US resolution didn\u2019t contain one word regarding what the country had achieved since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009. Recalling the first discussion with US officials concerning the then proposed resolution, Prof. Peiris said that he was assured that it would be a procedural resolution, though it turned out to be menacing proposal inimical to post-war reconciliation process. Subsequently some amendments were made following intervention by member states, Prof. Peiris said, alleging Sri Lanka was being unfairly treated. “Is there any other country which has attracted this kind of focus? Is this the gravest situation facing the global community?”<\/strong><\/p>\n

COURTESY:THE ISLAND<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris said yesterday that the second US sponsored resolution was meant to ensure that Sri Lanka would come up for consideration as part of United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) agenda every six months, with human rights chief Navi Pillay to brief the council at its …<\/p>\n

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