The Sri Lanka delegation to the on-going 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva has said “We are surprised by Canada’s claim of “ongoing violations of human rights and lack of reconciliation in Sri Lanka” when the Government’s progress with regard to addressing human rights concerns and reconciliation is being amply demonstrated on the ground, acknowledged by many in the international community, and elaborated comprehensively and in detail at successive Council sessions by our delegation, including during the current Council session.”
Ravinatha Aryasinha - Ambassador Geneva
These observations were made on 7 June 2013 while exercising Sri Lanka’s right of reply with regard to references made to Sri Lanka by Canada and the US under Agenda Item 4 in the General Debate of the 23rd Session of the HRC.
We publish below the Sri Lanka’s Right of Reply;
Mr. President,
My delegation wishes to exercise its right of reply with regard to references made to Sri Lanka by Canada and the US under Agenda Item 4 – General Debate.
We are surprised by Canada’s claim of “ongoing violations of human rights and lack of reconciliation in Sri Lanka” when the Government’s progress with regard to addressing human rights concerns and reconciliation is being amply demonstrated on the ground, acknowledged by many in the international community, and elaborated comprehensively and in detail at successive Council sessions by our delegation, including during the current Council session. The significant progress achieved in the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC through the time bound National Plan of Action is well documented in the public domain in a transparent and easily accessible manner, including via its latest Progress Report released in April 2013. The many facets of reconciliation including resettlement of IDPs, demining, rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-combatants including child soldiers, resolution of land issues, infrastructure development, housing, implementation of the language policy, as well accountability issues are being addressed in a comprehensive manner taking into consideration the aspirations of the affected communities.
We also reiterate that as a founding member of the Commonwealth, Sri Lanka is firmly committed to its values and principles. Sri Lanka’s longstanding engagement and commitment to the Commonwealth is known and demonstrated by the undertaking to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November this year, for which preparations are underway. The reference to the Commonwealth by Canada in this forum is rather puzzling, considering its membership not being universal.
In response to the US, we wish to note that every effort is being made by the Government to investigate incidents relating to alleged attacks on the media and to prosecute perpetrators of such crimes in instances where they are identified and sufficient evidence is available.
Further, our continued and constructive engagement with special procedures is itself evidence of our serious commitment to engagement with the Council and its mechanisms.
Thank you.
polika folklore / June 10, 2013
salute
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Dude / June 10, 2013
Oh Please, does Ravinatha who is an ass to be lying like this think that we and the rest of the world are a bunch of morons to believe this crap?!
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Rohan / June 10, 2013
You mean Nazi Salute? Well, that fits well here.
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David Blacker / June 10, 2013
Don’t you mean the Tiger salute? ;) http://thuppahi.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/11pongu-tamil-salute2.jpg
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Suq Madique / June 11, 2013
Couldn’t have said it better David Blacker!
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Gabriel / June 10, 2013
This response clearly demonstrate that the regime has now adopted a policy of “totally lying through diplomatic language”! If they continue like this I don’t think anybody will even listen to them.
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CHANAKYAN / June 10, 2013
To be impressed with SL’s efforts at reconciliation and their wondrous success, Canadians have to be charlatons.
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Navin / June 10, 2013
… and to have turned a blind eye to LTTE fund raising on Canadian soil in spite of the atrocious crimes that were taking place in Sri Lanka at that time, they MUST be worst scum than terrorists themselves!
Therefore don’t worry, it won’t dent their standing much even if they happen to be Charlatans!
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JimSofty / June 10, 2013
http://www.tolerance.cz/courses/papers/hutchin.htm. Sri Lankan Tmils were never treated that bad.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / June 10, 2013
” Sri Lankans Tamils were never treated that bad.”
.
Are you thinking of ways they could be treated worse , treated better or treated as equal citizens?
Further, what are we to understand by the words ‘ that bad you use’. If not that bad, how badly were they treated? Was this level of badness acceptable to you? Should it be acceptable to the Tamils? Do you also believe the Tamils have to accept this badness as their fate?
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran.
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JimSofty / June 12, 2013
[Are you thinking of ways they could be treated worse , treated better or treated as equal citizens? ]
It is all tamils that explain, define and describe. would you accept any other version ?
You know in your heart that you people are dishonest when Dealing with the Sri Lankan govt.
I think the US govt has explained that to Tamils.
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Native Vedda / June 12, 2013
JimSofty
“You know in your heart that you people are dishonest when Dealing with the Sri Lankan govt.”
Give us a few examples.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / June 12, 2013
Jim Softy,
May God help you! Buddhu Saranang. Vaalha. Amen.
Dr.RN
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Taraki / June 11, 2013
”Sri Lankans Tamils were never treated that bad.”
So they were treated badly then?
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Mark / June 11, 2013
Jim Softy or whatever your name is you made an error when you made the statement “Sri Lankan Tmils were never treated that bad.” Inadvertently you showed your true colors.
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len / June 12, 2013
To Softy J
I guess what you meant to say was Tamils were treated badly but not as bad as Sarath Fonseka or Sryani Bandaranayaka and co. I am positive majority of the Tamils will be ecstatic if they were to be treated as good as LTTE terrorist Col Pretty Boy Karuan Amman.
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Leon / June 10, 2013
This guy is trying to hide a pumpkin in a plate of rice.
The International Community is aware of what is really happening through
their Embassies just that they will not take any action for other reasons.
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sunila Mendis / June 10, 2013
How about the continous attacks on the Tamil news paper Udayan,Throtling of the press by a new bill,attacks on Muslims and christian churches.Please remember that these incidents are reported to their own governments by the Embasies here.You cannot fool the International community.
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Taraki / June 10, 2013
@Sunila
‘You cannot fool the International community’.
Of course you can, Bush and Blair did it for years. As long ago as 1604 Henry Wotton said ‘An ambassador is an honest gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country’
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Piranha / June 11, 2013
This man has the nerve to lie through his teeth in the face of overwhelming evidence of the Rajapaksa regime’s evasive and misleading acts on the issues of human rights and reconciliation. He made a fool of himself and the government he represents which I feel is well deserved. With this response he has lost all credibility.
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Renuka / June 11, 2013
Mahinda Rajapaksha regime is a bunch of lying bastards and nobody would care a shit about what they utter anymore. This is the stage at which the world is just going through the customary formalities before they begin to nail this country of bastards. It is as sure as sun rise a separate state for minorities shall be carved out under the rogue regime of Madamulana fools.
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kris / June 11, 2013
There are lots of people care and support the rajapakse regime because they demolished the terrorist from SL
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eureka / June 11, 2013
”The significant progress achieved in the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC through the time bound National Plan of Action is well documented in the public domain in a transparent and easily accessible manner, including via its latest Progress Report released in April 2013”
Any weblinks to check?
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Davidson Panabokke / June 11, 2013
Your Excellency Aravintha
Have you complained to the International Dispalcement Monitoring Centre that they are lying:
”The military continued to engage in activities that fall within the remit of a civil administration, including the authorisation of community meetings or events, and the registration of civilian families in many northern villages, whether they had been displaced or not. Female-headed households reported feeling particularly insecure as a result of military visits. ……. The military leadership continued to control the approval of humanitarian projects in the north through its membership in the Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security in the Northern Province (PTF). The PTF places particular restrictions on the provision of mental health care and psycho-social activities. Because of government restrictions, no comprehensive assessment has been conducted in conflict-affected areas, and there is no comprehensive data on the needs of the most vulnerable groups. No IDP profiling has been done since 2007. The government, UNHCR and the UN Office for Project Services launched a survey of protracted IDPs in 2011, but the project was abandoned in December 2012 due to obstacles placed on it by the PTF” – Global Overview 2012: People internally displaced by conflict and violence, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 29 April 2013
”Conflict-affected areas remain highly militarised, which has made progress towards achieving durable solutions more difficult. The military has become an important economic player and a key competitor of local people including returnees in the areas of agriculture, fishing, trade, and tourism. It has also been involved in areas that would normally come under civilian administration. It continues to occupy private land, thereby impeding IDPs’ return. The government has failed to make durable solutions a priority, and humanitarian organisations have faced funding shortages and restrictions on programming and access” – Sri Lanka: A hidden displacement crisis, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 31 October 2012
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Singhuappu / June 12, 2013
You are surprised but masses in SL and out of the country also the entire world apparently not.
EXAMPLE FROM LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE MISSING JOURNALIST EKNALIGODA:
A)The name of Eknaligoda is known to every household in the country as one among the several went missing in SL. Govt ^s irresponsible responses have caused all forms of mental harm to two teenage school children and the journalist^s wife. This is clearly an evidence how the govt (gov politicians with the support of MR) treats their citizen, instead of bring the accused before the courts, deliberately trying to handle issues related to human losses with low attention – not respecting law and order that restricted only to books todate in the country – is absolutely a great violation
B)By listening to the video
http://www.infolanka.com/news/
in which victimized wife made very clear about the updates from her side – should be credible rather than the lawmaker^s comment which includes no date when he is supposed to have met Journalist Eknaligoda in France. And again, this the law makers repeats was at one of his friends place in France – and the particular friends denial to have this NEVER occurred cause any listener to raise – is this kind of false comments regarding a CITIZEN of a country is legally permissible –
why the interviewers of National TV senders are unable to set the question properly is what I instantly felt.
While some argue about Ethical Codes related to publishing any forms of news – I wonder whether lanken state respect any ethical guide lines ?????
When and Where should be the main contents of THIS KIND OF COMMENTS OR not
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