19 February, 2025

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Britain’s Concerns At UNHRC

By Rajeewa Jayaweera

Rajeewa Jayaweera

UK’s statement, delivered at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council during the discussion under Item 2, held on March 08, 2018 as usual reeks of bias and hypocrisy.

Britain has expressed its concerns of post-election violence in Honduras and urged the authorities to investigate these incidents.

It finds the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo deeply troubling with increasing reports of violations and abuses. UK opines, state actors are the main perpetrators and calls on the DRC as a Council member to demonstrate commitment to the highest human rights standards by reversing these alarming trends.

UK has expressed concerns on the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. It urged highly concerning settlement expansions, demolitions of Palestinian property and proposed legislation to extend Israel’s sovereignty beyond the Green Line to be halted.

Urging Thailand to deliver credible, inclusive elections in line with international standards as soon as possible, UK called for gradual restoration of freedom of expression and assembly, including the lifting of restrictions on political parties and space for civil society organizations to function.
It expressed its increasing concerns of the worsening restrictions on freedom of expression in Vietnam. It has preached, peaceful expression of views on issues of public interest does not constitute a criminal offence and all citizens should be allowed to express their views freely and without persecution.

Expressing concerns of proposed steps to limit freedom of expression, including increased restrictions on the media; threats against Human Rights Defenders; and shrinking space for political opposition in the Philippines, UK has urged the Government to ensure thorough investigations into all deaths associated with the campaign against illegal drugs.

Then comes the icing on the cake. The statements states; “Finally, we share concerns about recent inter-communal violence in Sri Lanka. We support the government’s determination to end it swiftly, using measures that are proportionate and respect human rights, and urge it to hold the perpetrators to account.”

The present government, known for its servile kowtowing to UK, US and European Union member states should seek guidance from UK as to what would amount to “measures that are proportionate and respect human rights” of those responsible for looting and arson based on ethnic lines.

Once apprehended, will UK grant them sanctuary in UK as done with terrorists during last several decades?

As hard as this writer searched, not one word could be found in the statement of the treatment meted to scores of people including dozens of Saudi royals who were arrested in the recent crackdown on corruption, housed in a star class hotel and tortured in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman was on a three day visit to UK. After being hosted for lunch by the Queen and Duke of York, dinner with the Prince of Wales and Duke of York and a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, he signed 18 economic agreements worth more than GBP 1.5 billion.

A statement from Downing Street said Prime Minister May had offered assistance to “progress and intensify reforms, particularly on women’s rights, and on universal human rights”. She had also expressed particular concern about the case of Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for “insulting Islam” online.

Both Prime Minister May and UK Mission to the United Nations in Geneva forgot to bring up the issues of the tortured detainees by Saudi security apparatuses and women and children bombed to oblivion in Yemen by the Air Forces of Saudi Arabia and its allies. After all, those tortures and the lives of Yemeni women and children are not worth jeopardizing GBP 1.5 billion of economic agreements.

Diplomacy and Duplicity are synonyms in the vocabulary of UK government.

The full text of UK government’s statement may be accessed here

Latest comments

  • 0
    2

    LTTE is banned in UK. But UK authorities allowed LTTEers to protest in front of the embassy. There after, the throat cutting gesture was wrong. UK is issueing political statements to make LTTE rump happy. LTTE money is still working. IT is all Tamils fooling Tamils.

  • 0
    1

    What is happening in Sri Lanka is nothing compared to vandalism of Mosques and Muslim bashing taking place in Britain. They have lot of shit in their back but they want to find even a tiny bit in others and shout ‘Your back smells’. When money (Saudi) talks, human rights run away from the back door!

  • 3
    2

    I assure you there is no cure for megalomania. Your Country may be keeping guys like you in top Administration to the extent of thinking committing crimes is no problem because you can escape by showing similar crimes happening elsewhere. Go ahead cripple your Country as usual by rioting and killing! I am sure you have supported or indulged in the recent and past violence because of your mental illness that has no cure. If you are normal you will be thanking UK for taking part in several Human Rights issues around the world and bringing it up in the UN forum. Are there any guys in your Administration who will appreciate if your Country is helped to come out of the quagmire you megalomaniacs pushed into.

    • 3
      1

      Richard
      The obvious seems to surprisingly escape your mind.
      *
      Why not respond to the issues raised; Why has Britain, with its holier than thou attitude overlooked to even mention Saudi atrocities in its statement at UNHRC while raising issues in countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America? Or as stated, is Britain’s price for silence GBP 1.5 billion?
      *
      I have not even mentioned Britains culpability for deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and destruction of properties in Iraq in search of still to be found WMDs. Where were you when those lies were propagated?
      *
      Such being the case, Britain and the likes of you (assuming you are British) do not have the moral right to sit upon in judgement of other countries.
      *
      By the way, try not to use words such as ‘megalomania’ which you do not understand. The word best describes British policy despite the fact, the sun went down for the British Empire quite a while ago.

      • 3
        1

        So Mr. Rajeewa Jeyaweera,
        What is the reason for you to look into other Countries problems while your Country is committing the same crimes again and again?

        • 2
          0

          Rajeewa, can you name a country in the world, where diplomacy and duplicity are not synonymous. It is obvious to anyone that you have some axe to grind with UK. Please find out why you have become a cropper in the matters of Naseby antics and Brigadier bashing. Only Sinhala gallery will accept your unrealistic posturing.

        • 1
          1

          Richard
          It is not I and my country that is looking “to other countries problems while my country us committing the same crime again and again”. It is YOU AND YOUR country who is doing it while talking about other countries. Your country has been doing it for hundreds of years.

          • 1
            0

            Okay Mr. Rajeewa Jyaweera, I understand you and I know I cannot argue with you any more! It is up to the learned, far thinking Journalists, Academicians, and good Leaders of Sri Lanka to see where sponsored violence will lead the Country and do what is necessary for your future generations. Thank you for letting us understand you!

  • 1
    0

    Rajeewa has an axe to grind but here he is clumsy!
    Included in the UK’s statement, delivered at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council ~ “Finally, we share concerns about recent inter-communal violence in Sri Lanka. We support the government’s determination to end it swiftly, using measures that are proportionate and respect human rights, and urge it to hold the perpetrators to account.” This is a bitter pill but not ‘icing on the cake’ as you put it.
    You point out the way UK responds to Saudi Arabia. Yes this is despicable but the comment above is food for thought.

    Then you go on ~ “The present government, known for its servile kowtowing to UK, US and European Union member states…………….”.
    MS has sent his son to UK – to keep him out of trouble. Gota and Basil are US citizens. Diplomatic positions in these countries are sought after.
    So there we are Rajeewa!

  • 1
    1

    Madam May, kindly look at your own domestic problems with the madness that is “multiculturalism” before making a fool out of yourself internationally. How many more British girls need to be raped and murdered by Pakistani Muslims grooming gangs?(yes, Pakistani Muslims-not Asians, a term your media love to use to hide the truth. Call a spade a spade, have some courage for god’s sake).
    I read that the main leader of the Rotherham child sex gang (a Pakistani Muslim, how surprising) was released just 5 years into his sentence, when he was served 17 years by the courts. Correct your own human rights abuses, and know your place.

    • 0
      0

      What about Miyanmar

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