22.5.2008
Rasika Somarathna
UN:
Sri Lanka yesterday obtained an absolute majority at the
vote for the UN Human Rights Council, gaining 101 out
of 192 votes on offer.
Out
of the six countries which vied for four slots on offer
for Asia, Japan, South Korea, Bahrain and Pakistan secured
seats leaving behind Sri Lanka and East Timor. Candidates
for the council are chosen by regional groups, and the
192-member General Assembly votes by region by secret
ballot.
Analysts
said yesterday that 101 countries expressing confidence
in Sri Lanka, enabling it to obtaining an absolute majority
was in itself was a victory despite an anti-Sri Lanka
campaign by some individuals and organisations.
Any
such criticism regarding Sri Lanka's human rights record
should only be levelled after a careful study of the whole
picture, in addition to giving due consideration to the
views of all parties, said Disaster Management and Human
Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe on the eve of the
vote yesterday.
The
Minister said that comments by former US President Jimmy
Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and some other groups
to this effect were ill timed, and that they had never
given the Government a chance to answer the allegations
beforehand.
He
also alleged that some local groups and individuals with
vested interests too were behind this campaign to prevent
Sri Lanka's continued presence at the Council. The report
of the working group on the Universal Periodic Review
of Sri Lanka was unanimously adopted on Monday at the
Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The
Minister said that Sri Lanka's National report, which
was presented at the UPR had come in for high praise at
the working group, as a comprehensive and detailed document
that was forthright and candid about the situation facing
Sri Lanka.
Commenting
on the report the Minister said that it presented a descriptive
and accurate picture of the prevailing human rights situation
and identified national priorities and capacity building
needs.
He
also said that the report highlighted strengths and identified
challenges Sri Lanka faces as a nation in its efforts
to promote and protect human rights. As a founder member
of the Council formed in 2006, Sri Lanka has played a
constructive role to develop mechanisms such as the UPR
and also to engage in institution building of the Council
he said.
He
also noted that as a former coordinator of the 13 member
Asian regional grouping within the Council and as the
holder of the Vice-presidency since 2007, Sri Lanka has
helped to build consensus and has cooperated with fellow
member states to uplift human rights promotion and protection
in the globe.
For
two seats in the group of Western states, France received
123 votes and Britain 120 votes - just one vote more than
Spain which got 119 votes. The other contested race was
for two seats in the Eastern European group. Slovakia
and Ukraine defeated Serbia and the Czech Republic.
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