10.3.2008
While welcoming the statement made
by Dayan Jayatilleka, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative
to United Nation that the Government will not encourage
the establishment of any UN Human Rights missions in Sri
Lanka, the Government of China and Pakistan have decided
to back Sri Lanka on the issue.
The
Pakistan representative Mahood Khan criticizing the outgoing
High Commissioner Louise Arbour for not highlighting the
efforts taken by the Government to protect rights and
stem abuses told the seventh session of the UN Human Rights
Council in Geneva that Arbour had not mentioned about
the measures taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to curb
violations during the presentation of her annual report
to the Council.
The
representative for China too has expressed his surprise
at the call for the setting up of such an office in Sri
Lanka and came out supporting Government efforts to curb
violations during his speech.
Meanwhile
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka at a discussion held on sidelines
of the session last week told that no presence of a permanent
monitoring mission or external party is required, calling
for 'involvement' but not 'intervention'.
Meanwhile
Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Human Rights and Disaster
Management, categorically refuted the note made by Human
Rights Chief Louise Arbour for the involvement of a UN
monitoring mission in the island, emphasizing that even
at present the Government was constructively engaged with
the UN.
The
Minister emphasized that the position of the Government
of Sri Lanka continues to be that it does not require
an international monitoring mission. Minister was of the
view that the country can seek to explore the possibility
of bolstering the Senior Advisor to the UN Country Team
(UNCT) in Sri Lanka
Quoting
Minister Samarasinghe the Sri Lanka Mission in Geneva
said "Sri Lanka does not require a fully fledged
UN Human Rights office since it has competent national
human rights institutions which could benefit from capacity
building and technical cooperation. The Government of
Sri Lanka hopes that the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights can come to a mutually acceptable arrangement
on this important matter."
Courtesy
- Government Information