Sri Lanka is gearing up to employ fresh strategies to navigate the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in March this year by engaging leaders from various countries, including those in Africa, according to sources from the Daily Mirror.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, currently in Davos, Switzerland, will proceed to Uganda to attend the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The summit, which commenced last Monday, is hosting leaders from approximately 120 countries worldwide in Kampala, Uganda.
During the NAM summit, President Wickremesinghe is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with leaders from several African nations, aiming to fortify bilateral ties and garner support at the UNHRC. Sri Lanka has been under the scrutiny of the UNHRC since 2012, following the conclusion of the civil war. The upcoming session will once again address Sri Lanka’s case.
The Sri Lankan government has consistently rejected the latest Resolutions 46/1 and 51/1, which resulted in the establishment of the ‘Accountability Project,’ deeming it intrusive. In a proactive move, the government plans to engage the United Kingdom, the leading country among the core-group nations advocating the resolution on Sri Lanka. The President’s recent decision to participate in operations led by the United States and the UK in the Red Sea, aimed at countering attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen, is seen by some as an effort to engage these countries ahead of the UNHRC proceedings.
Despite the government’s rejection of the latest UNHRC resolution, it has taken steps to implement measures outlined in the resolution. Recently, a bill was enacted to establish a ‘National Unity and Reconciliation Office,’ marking a significant stride toward post-conflict reconciliation with the Tamil community. The bill received majority approval, with 48 votes in favor and 7 against. Source – Daily Mirror
