Colombo appreciates Moscow's understanding of Sri Lanka's domestic situation and its unconditional support in the United Nations ahead of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) vote on a resolution critical of the country's human rights issues, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia M. D. Lamawansa told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2021) Colombo appreciates Moscow's understanding of Sri Lanka's domestic situation and its unconditional support in the United Nations ahead of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) vote on a resolution critical of the country's human rights issues, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia M. D. Lamawansa told Sputnik.
In January, the UNHRC said in a report that Colombo had failed to address the Sri Lankan Civil War violations and noted that the risk of violations occurring again remains. The Sri Lankan authorities in response have disputed the UN report, saying that the situation on the ground is different from what was described in the document.
"Some of the remarks made at the Human Rights Council by interested parties, which we feel are out of proportion and in that way we really appreciate Russia's understanding of Sri Lanka and unconditional support when it comes to these unsubstantiated and unsubstantial allegations against Sri Lanka on the human rights issues," Lamawansa said.
The draft resolution on Sri Lanka has been put to vote by a number of countries, led by the United Kingdom and Germany. The UN Human Rights Council is expected to vote on it by the end of the ongoing session, which will last through March 23.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has also called for targeted sanctions against some of the former and acting Sri Lankan military commanders over the alleged human rights abuses. The Sri Lankan authorities believe that the new resolution is politically motivated.
Sri Lanka was mired in an armed conflict between its government forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from 1983-2009. During this period, war crimes were allegedly committed by both sides.
In the 2015 UN resolution, the former Sri Lankan government pledged to address the violations, however after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed office, the new government has decided to set aside the UN resolution and instead opted for a domestic commission of inquiry into the human rights violations.
