Resolution adopted on SL at UNHRC without a vote

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Thursday without a vote adopted a resolution on Sri Lanka to which proposes to give two more years beyond 2017 to fulfill its commitments for reconciliation and transnational justice.

The resolution was cosponsored by 40 countries.

The Geneva-based body handed Sri Lanka a two-year extension to implement fully the commitments that were made under a 2015 resolution after the United Nations top human rights official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, expressed concern at the “slow progress” of reforms in Sri Lanka.

As per the new timetable, the High Commissioner for Human Rights would give a written update to the council at its 37th session in March 2018, and a comprehensive report at the 40 th session in March 2019.

Among other things, Resolution 30/1 of September 2015, called for the establishment of a judicial mechanism having foreign as well as Sri Lankan judges and prosecutors. Though Sri Lanka had co-sponsored that resolution as well as Thursday’s follow up, it has not agreed to have a hybrid court with foreign judges also.

Making this clear after the resolution was passed on Thursday, the Sri Lankan representative Dr.Harsha de Silva that Sri Lanka is striving “to establish a Sri Lankan Government-led processes with international assistance, engagement and support.”

He made no mention of a hybrid court with foreign judges, though the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid and the US representative William J.Mozdzierz had stressed the need for it. Before the resolution was passed, de Silva said that Sri Lanka would accept “foreign expertise” not foreign judges.

While welcoming Sri Lanka’s ‘promising progress’ in constitutional reforms, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein earlier urged the government to set up mechanisms to implement the resolution adopted at the UNHRC in 2015.

Hussein said that although progress to establish transitional justice mechanisms has been slow, he is heartened by the recent report of the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms, synthesising  thousands of submissions from across all ethnic and religious groups.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva delivering a response statement said Sri Lanka has been working with the United States and the other main co-sponsors of 30/1, UK, Macedonia, and Montenegro, on a Resolution for a two-year extension of the timeline for fulfillment of commitments made in Resolution 30/1.