Cabinet approves withdrawal from UNHRC resolution 30/1

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the government’s decision to withdraw from the co-sponsorship of the United National Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution 30/1.

The Cabinet Spokesman mentioned this at the press conference currently being held to inform of the Cabinet decisions.

Previously, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa informed Sri Lanka will be looking into withdrawing from the process of co-sponsorship in relation to Resolution 30/1 by the Yahapalana government in 2015.

The Premier claims that this resolution enabled other countries to name members of Sri Lanka’s armed forces as violators of human rights; thus resulting in the recent US entry ban on Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva.

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena to declare Sri Lanka’s decision to withdraw from the Co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 of march 2019, entitled “Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights  of Sri Lanka”, incorporating and based on the Precedent Resolution No. 30/1 of October 2015  and 34/1 of March 2017.

The declaration is set to be made at the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council to be held in the future.