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Core Group on Sri Lanka to present resolution at UNHRC session

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British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sara Hulton says the Core Group on Sri Lanka plans to take forward a further resolution to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka at the upcoming Human Rights Council Session.

The statement issued by the Core Group – consisting of UK, Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Malawi and Montenegro – stressed that there is an ‘ongoing importance’ of addressing Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council.

“The Core Group pays tribute to the people of Sri Lanka and wishes to highlight our ongoing commitment to accountability, reconciliation and inclusive peace in Sri Lanka.”

The statement said that the Core Group recognizes and welcomes the progress made by the Sri Lankan government in rebuilding infrastructure, demining, land return and resettling internally displaced persons.

However, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the ‘harmful legacies of war’ and build a sustainable peace in the country, the Core Group reiterated.

It further said the United Nations Human Rights Council will consider an important report recently published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on human rights, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka.

The Core Group highlighted that it has been important for them to work collaboratively and constructively with the Sri Lankan government over the last five years. “Consequently, we have engaged with the Government of Sri Lanka in preparation for the Council.”

“The Core Group noted the ongoing importance of addressing Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council. Informed by the report, the Core Group intends to present a resolution to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.”

In her report published in late January, the UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet had stressed that the failure of Sri Lanka to address past violations has significantly heightened the risk of human rights violations being repeated.

She also called for an International Criminal Court investigation into Sri Lanka’s Tamil separatist conflict and sanctions on military officials accused of war crimes.

“Domestic initiatives for accountability and reconciliation have repeatedly failed to produce results, more deeply entrenching impunity, and exacerbating victims’ distrust in the system,” the report read. It went on to say that the government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reversed some advances made under previous administrations in protecting human rights.

Sri Lankan government, in response, stated that it plans to reject the report compiled by the UN rights chief on alleged human rights violations in the country. Sri Lanka’s response to the report, which has already been submitted in writing, will be made public when Foreign Affairs Minister Dinesh Gunawardena addresses the UN Human Rights Council.

 



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Stay on course and don’t go back to the past – Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy

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Former Governor of the Central Bank delivering the keynote address at a high profile Webinar hosted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (24)  said that Sri Lanka must implement the structural reforms proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without relaxing like in the past or else we will be in a deeper economic mess.

The webinar was titled ‘What is next for Sri Lanka in the wake of the IMF programme’

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Sustainable economic development goals cannot be achieved unless attention is paid to mitigating climate change – Sagala Ratnayake

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President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff  Sagala Ratnayake said sustainable economic development goals cannot be accomplished without taking steps to mitigate climate change.

He said this while participating in the 10,000 sapling planting program organized by the LEO Youth Vision 2048 Club and the LEO Club at the Royal College, Colombo on Thursday (23rd).

This program was organized in view of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s birthday, which is today (24), and the required plants were distributed to the main schools of the Colombo District.

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SF claims thousands of police and military personnel leaving

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By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of police and military personnel had left the services recently as they did not want to carry out illegal orders, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament yesterday. According to the war-winning army commander 200 policemen have resigned during the past two months and 25,000 soldiers have left the army during the last two years.

“We urged the law enforcement and military officials not to follow illegal orders. We will reinstate them with back pay,” he said.

Fonseka also urged the President and the government MPs not to take people for fools.

“Sri Lanka owes 55 billion dollars to the world. Ranil’s plan is to borrow another seven billion during the next four years. So, in four years we will owe 62 billion to the world.

Ranil and his ministers ask us what the alternative to borrowing is. These are the people who destroyed the economy and society. They must leave. Then, we will find an alternative and develop the country,” he said, adding that the IMF loans had made crises in other nations worse.

“Ranil says that by 2025, we will have a budget surplus as in Japan, Germany and South Korea. These countries are economic power houses, and this comparison is ludicrous.”

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