By Colombo Telegraph –
“Today’s vote in the UN Human Rights Council encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to continue on the path toward lasting peace and prosperity following decades of civil war and instability. This resolution, which builds on a similar 2012 resolution, reaffirmed that Sri Lanka must take meaningful action on reconciliation and accountability in order to move forward. The United States, together with international partners, calls upon the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfill its public commitments to its own people on these longstanding issues.” says John Kerry, the US Secretary of State.
Issuing a statement he says; “While some important progress has been made, there is much work still to be done. We look to the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and to reverse recent negative developments on rule of law and human rights. The United States stands ready to assist with this vital work. I look forward to continuing our engagement with the Government of Sri Lanka and strengthening our friendship with the Sri Lankan people.”
The resolution against Sri Lanka was adopted a short while ago. 25 countries voted for the resolution, 13 against with 8 member nations abstaining from voting.
Saman Wijesiri / March 22, 2013
The US is looking to the GOSL in vain to implement the recommendations of the LLRC. And they can rest assured that nothing will be done to reverse recent negative developments on rule of law and human rights.
Abductions by white vans, disappearances, attacks on journalists, persecution of dissidents, restriction of media freedom, undermining the institutions still representing a semblance of democracy and further tightening of the ruling family’s hold on the economy and the polity will continue regardless. An illegal CJ will continue to function, a servile Bribery Commission will continue as a willing arm of the Executive and Ministers and Ministers’ brats will continue to commit every imaginable crime under the sun and get away with it while the victims will be made to suffer insult in addition to injury.
The US will have to move another resolution next year rebuilding on the 2013 resolution.And that resolution too will be as toothless as the 2012 and 2013 ones!
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Senguttuvan / March 22, 2013
The vain assurances of Ministers G.L. Peiris and Mahinda Samarasinghe have failed again. The costly reliance on “Brokers” like Subramaniam Swamy, who was bellicose both the US and India will not move against Sri Lanka, have let the regime down. Taking a belligerent position as a result both against India and the USA can only bring us further grief.
There is still room to go by the recommendations of our own LLRC Report, implementing which will only regain our lost stature.
Senguttuvan
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Glocuppa / March 22, 2013
Does your sentences make any sense?
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CHANAKYAN / March 22, 2013
Writers write and commentators comment under the illusion that someone somewhere reads. Kerry’s statement makes it very clear that regarding the Tamils of Sri Lanka, not a word from any book or journal or paper or forum was ever read by anybody from the establishment.
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ruki / March 22, 2013
This is a toothless resolution. Why doesn’t the US have the gumption to commence an international inquiry on the doings of the Rajapakshas?
Mere rhetoric will not serve any purpose
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sivalingam / March 22, 2013
.my comment on the recent voting. i cannot understand what is going on. no one or any news paper do not give clear understanding about it. some one expect that the sri lankan government’s own report at least will be implemented.even the countries supported the resolution do not seem to
give enough pressure on it. the votes based on balance of power not on
any constructive idea. most of the countries voted against the resolution
seem to be Muslim nations because they do not want to go against Pakistan. Another group is basing its votes on ism.some nation is worried about lasting peace and looking for a situation where a country should not wage against its own citizen in future. Ok what is the outcome. will Sri lanka implement llrc report. if so when.there is an idea from india point of view that an independent commission should inquire into the allegation. can any commission without having members of international community be a neutral body?So india calls upon international community to investigate it. what is the next step? who can enlighten me on it? only achievement is the publicity against Sri Lanka’s human rights violation.
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mohamed fazly ilyas / March 29, 2013
Mr.Kerry, Please take some genuine an concrete dialogue on the issue of the Palestinian/Israel issue. This genocide and systematic land grabbing and the forward march to make the Palestinians vanish from the map of the earth warrants more attention than the Srilankan issue.
Use the same spoon for your soup.
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