#hrc34

Rtd Admiral Sarath Weerasekara who attened the UNHRC 34th session representing former president Rajapkasa led Joint Opposition (JO) says that he has a list of tratiors who shoud be hanged. He further says that once the Rajapaksa come back to power they will file cases against them and if proved gulity they will be sentenced […]

Image: Palais Wilson, OHCHR office in Geneva. ©s.deshapriya. Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) during  the coming two years will send six missions to Colombo of 14 days each of OHCHR Geneva-based staff with expertise in various thematic areas, including transitional justice and rule of law issues, in order to support the […]

Attending the 34th session of the UNHRC, which was concluded on last Friday the 24th March, was  a great excitement because of the participation of so many local and diaspora Sri Lankans, says Dr. Nimalka Fernando.  Fernando has been a regular visitor to to Geneva in order to attend the HRC sessions almost a decade. […]

Image: Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Harasha de Silva speaking at UNHRC 34. Sri Lanka Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Harasha de Silva has told state controlled Sunday Observer that UNHRC 30/1 resolution does not call for a hybrid court and the word participation has multiple definitions! This what he has told the Sunday Observer: “I think […]

According to the UN, as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians may have died in the last few months of the fighting [AP: File]According to the UN, as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians may have died in the last few months of the fighting [AP: File] UN rights chief suggests Colombo’s persistent failure to investigate atrocities […]

Image: William J. Mozdzierz  speaking at HRC 34. Statement of the United States of America as delivered by William J. Mozdzierz at the in  interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Presentation of Sri Lanka Report. Thank you, Mr. High Commissioner, for your comprehensive report. The United States also appreciates the Government of Sri Lanka’s cooperation […]

Image: A group of Sri Lankan HRDs attending HRC 34 ©s.deshapriya. The Council then held an interactive dialogue on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented his report pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka, saying there were […]

Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu. Oral Statement delivered by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu  at the Interactive Dialogue with High Commissioner on Report on Sri Lanka. I appear before you as a human rights defender who was labeled a traitor and terrorist because of a staunch belief in a citizen’s responsibility to protect and strengthen human rights, justice and […]

Speaking at the 34th Session of the UN Human Rights Council following the presentation of the Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Sri Lanka Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Harsha De Silva said  that no country’s human rights record is perfect. It is  always  work-in-progress.  The  […]

Resolution 34/1 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka has been submitted to the Human Rights Council and now available at HRC Extra net. Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, Montenegro, Norway, Sri Lanka, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America has […]

“Ezhuga Tamizh” (Tamils Arise) march at Jaffna; Image by Tamil Guardian. Joint Appeal by Tamil Civil Society Organisations, Political Parties and Trade Unions. When Resolution 30/1 was passed by the UN Human Rights Council in October 2015 Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship of the resolution was hailed as an example of how the UN Human Rights Council […]

Image: UNHRC at night ©s.deshapriya. Taylor Dibbert. Sri Lanka’s compliance with an October 2015 UN Human Rights Council resolution is being hotly debated at the Council’s 34th session, which began in late February and will run through March 24. At this point, it looks as though another resolution on Sri Lanka will be passed later […]

Image: Flags of member countries of the UN in front of the Palais des Nations. ©s.deshapriya First draft of the resolution to be submitted to the ongoing 34 session of human rights council on sri Lanka now out for circulation. It requests the Office of the High Commissioner and relevant special procedure mandate holders, in […]

Image: Sri Lanka flag at the entrance to   Palais des Nations, UNHRC head offcie in Geneva. Summary The present report assesses the progress made in the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 30/1, on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka between October 2015 and January 2017. On that basis, the United Nations […]

Image: Sri Lanka flag at the UNHRC, Geneva. ©s.deshapriya. Informed souses in Geneva says that Sri Lanka will get two year extension to implement the UNHRC resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka adopted in September 2015 although the GoSL preferred 18 months time frame. To provide this extension the Human rights Council will have to pass […]

Making a short statement at the34 session of the UNHRC Erin M. Barclay, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State said ” when the Council functions properly, it has the ability to remind states of their commitments and obligations. It can hold countries accountable for the same.  When the Council works as it should, its successes are […]

Image: Sumanthiran speaking to FCA, Sri Lanka ( Photo credit:FCA facebook) By bharatha mallawarachi, associated press. Sri Lanka’s main ethnic Tamil party has said the government has not fulfilled promises made to the United Nations including allowing a probe into war crimes allegations from a civil war that ended nearly eight years ago. Mathiaparanan Abraham […]

Image: Minister Samaraweera meets Minister for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alok Sharma. Making his statement at the high level segment of the on going 34th session of the Human Rights Council British Minister for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alok Sharma, welcomed the Sri Lankan Foreign […]

Image: The screen shot of voting at UNHRC on Sri Lanka resolution, 2012. To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council. Excellency, We write to seek your support in ensuring that the upcoming consideration of Sri Lanka’s progress toward implementing its commitments under United Nations Human Rights Council resolution […]

Image: Suresh Premachandran. EPRLF leader and former Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandra  hs said that that all members parties in the TNA do not support the government’s proposals to obtain more time to address accountability issues because  the proposal is aimed at protecting the government. He was addressing a press conference in Jaffna on 16th February. Premachandra […]

Image:A Sri Lanka mother who’s son was abducted in Colombo in 2010 taks a rest  in front of UNHRC Geneva office after attending a protest calling for justice for the disappeared. (c) s.deshapriya. The United Kingdom announced yesterday that it is working on a follow-up resolution in reaction to the High Commissions’s report and they […]