SL’s envoy says UNHCR’s comments ‘unwarranted and pre-judgemental, based on presumption’

Describing the remarks of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Sri Lanka on the proposed 20th Amendment as “unwarranted and pre-judgemental, based on presumption”, Sri Lanka’s envoy to the United Nations in Geneva, assured that the draft constitutional bill will be discussed and debated, following a complete democratic process, where all stakeholders will have the opportunity to present their views.

Sri Lanka rejects the references made by the UN High Commissioner in the September 14, 2020 ‘Global Human Rights Update’, Ms. Dayani Mendis, Sri Lanka’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, underscored during the General Debate at the 45th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva last week.

“The Sri Lanka government rejects the false and unsubstantiated allegations leveled against senior military officials being appointed to key positions of institutions”, the envoy outlined, while adding that “we have consistently refuted the credibility of these allegations and wishes to highlight that the domestic processes such as the LLRC and Paranagama Commissions that examined these allegations particularly with regard to the last stages of the conflict, have not found substantive evidence against any of the senior military officials referred to in this regard”.

In the absence of any substantive proof, Sri Lanka considers that the continued arbitrary accusations on crimes or crimes against humanity made against these senior military officials are unacceptable and a violation of the principles of natural justice, Ms. Mendis continued.

The pardon to the former Army sergeant was granted in terms of the powers and provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, she emphasized.

On allegations of surveillance and intimidation, the envoy said the government has already publicly refuted the allegations, and is committed to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and civil society space, and ensure that complaints received on alleged attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and civil society are investigated and prosecuted.

The prime focus of the government is to ensure national security, and to uphold the rule of law and order in the country for all its citizens, with the aim of creating “an environment where any citizen can live freely without any fear for the safety of themselves and their families”, the High Commissioner noted.

In line with this policy framework, the government is committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, with a determination to uplift the lives of all its citizens and ensure that there is no threat to peace, reconciliation or development in Sri Lanka, she said.

Ms. Mendis recalled that Sri Lanka made it clear even as it withdrew from the co-sponsorship of Resolution 30/1, that it will remain committed to achieve reconciliation, accountability and human rights within the framework of the Sri Lankan Constitution, through a domestically designed and executed process in line with the government’s policy framework.

Sri Lanka would like to emphasize that the new government, which assumed office with the election of the new Parliament on August 5, remains committed to the assurances given before this Council in February this year, the envoy said.

“As this Council is aware, since February/March this year, the entire world was challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, a health crisis of a global scale, which had impacted many aspects of governance in many countries, and Sri Lanka was no exception”, she further continued.

“We hope that the Council would appreciate that Sri Lanka while successfully containing the spread of COVID-19 through a balanced, multi-sectoral approach, and despite this challenge, held its commitment to the democratic processes, and conducted Parliamentary elections successfully and peacefully, which the EU has acknowledged”, she added.