Dianne Silva
The government said yesterday it was “unreasonable” for the international community to expect it to complete processes in a post-conflict situation, which have taken other countries in similar situations, many years to accomplish.
“For example Spain, Cambodia and Bangladesh took many years and in some cases almost half a century to achieve standards that are being expected of Sri Lanka in a mere two years after the war ended,” External Affairs Minister G.L. Peries said.
Addressing the diplomatic community he insisted on the importance of clarity in procedures by international bodies, the importance of exhaustion of local mechanisms in international law and unreasonableness of demands made on post-war Sri
“There must be clarity with regards to procedures relating to international forums whether they are the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR), the General Assembly or the Security Council for there to be precision and predictability in their functions,” the minister said adding that that this would in turn ensure cohesion and stability to the global system.
He said it was wrong to allow for the procedures of these institutions to be distorted.
“This creates an unsound precedent and opens a door for a variety of abuses in the future,” the minister said and pointed out that the UNHRC had a procedure when countries were to be discussed and these matters should be taken up at the Universal Periodic Review. The minister emphasized the importance given in International Law for the exhaustion of local remedies and mechanisms. “Therefore it is wrong to pre-judge or undermine the Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and its outcome,” he said.
DM