Pakistan, China speak out in support of Sri Lanka at UNHRC
March 23, 2021 07:05 pm
The draft resolution L.1/Rev.1 brought against Sri Lanka by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has failed to condemn the crimes committed by the LTTE against Sri Lankan people, Pakistan says.
The Pakistani representative stated this speaking before the vote on the UNHRC draft resolution L.1/Rev.1 on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday adopted the draft resolution against Sri Lanka tabled at council by the Core Group. Of the 47 states that took part in the vote in Geneva, 22 member states voted in favor of the resolution while 11 had voted against. A total of 14 member states abstained from voting.
Pakistan, voting against the resolution, stated that the resolution shies away from a call for accountability of LTTE and its sponsors and financiers. The representatives pointed out that the draft resolution appears to rekindle the sufferings rather than healing the wounds of the people of Sri Lanka.
China, also voting against the resolution claimed that the resolution disregards the efforts and achievements by the Sri Lankan Government to promote and protect human rights, ignores the wishes of the Sri Lankan people, and interferes in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs under the guise of human rights and disrupts the ‘excellent situation’ of Sri Lanka’s development and stability.
The country further said that the resolution is a typical example of politicizing human rights.
In addition to Pakistan and China, the Philippines, Venezuela, Russia, Cuba, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Somalia, and Uzbekistan also voted against the resolution proposed against Sri Lanka.
The Philippines while recognizing that no country has a perfect record in human rights, stated that this resolution pursues a political agenda that is blind to reason and methods of reasoning.
The Philippines envoy stating that there is no merit in the actions of the council pointed out that it disrespects the national processes, and is driven by simplistic generalizations of complex conditions of the ground.
Venezuela, addressing the council before the vote, pointed out that some countries which have promoted these draft resolutions have themselves committed, and are still committing, serious violations of human rights, but they themselves have never been subject to similar initiatives.
The Venezuelan representative stated that Venezuela rejects the baseless and interventionist attempts underway into the internal processes of Sri Lanka towards true national reconciliation.
The Russian Federation voting against the resolution claimed that instead of trying to support Sri Lanka’s delegation and encourage it to engage in dialogue the sponsors of the draft resolution have preferred to continue using a former practice of making allegations against it.
The Russian Federation also added that this draft resolution does not reflect balance or objectivity.
Meanwhile, Cuba said that this draft resolution will only further serve the ends of politicization, bias, and double standards which have crept into the [UNHRC] forum, which should be decried.
Bolivia also voted against the draft resolution stating that they do not accept the use of human rights as a political tool.
