Sri Lanka prepared to face Core Group’s resolution at UNHRC - Dinesh

Sri Lanka is prepared to face the Core Group’s resolution to be presented at the upcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, says Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena.

His remarks came during the Ada Derana ‘Big Focus’ talk show earlier today (February 20).

Issuing a statement yesterday, the Core Group on Sri Lanka – consisting of UK, Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Malawi, and Montenegro – revealed its plans to take forward a further resolution to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights in the island nation.

They stressed that there is an ‘ongoing importance’ of addressing Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council.

The Core Group reiterated that more needs to be done to address the ‘harmful legacies of war’ and build sustainable peace in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the facts in favor of the resolution put forward by the High Commissioner for Human Rights can never be implemented in accordance with the Constitution of this country, said Minister Gunawardena.

He mentioned this with regard to the report published by the UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet in late January, calling for an International Criminal Court investigation into Sri Lanka’s Tamil separatist conflict and sanctions on military officials accused of war crimes.

Gunawardena pointed out that there can be no foreign judges in the courts of Sri Lanka.

Speaking on allies who would stand with Sri Lanka to oppose such a resolution, the Foreign Minister said, “Forty-seven countries represent the Human Rights Council. Out of these 47, countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have given a very friendly response towards Sri Lanka. So far, the vast majority have exchanged views with us. However, we have not yet seen the final draft of this.”