Monday, March 26, 2012

Sri Lanka refuses to give into any pressure following UNHRC resolution

Sri Lanka on Monday announced that the country will not give into any outside pressure following the recent defeat in the United States sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session.

Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris said that the best interest of the citizen would be the guiding light and the country's policies would be formulated based on that.
"We oppose the internationalization of issues connected to Sri Lanka as we do not see any justification in that," Peiris said.

At a media briefing Peiris charged that the United States pressurized some of the countries to vote for the resolution and this led some countries to vote against Sri Lankan or abstain from voting.

The minister also said it was not necessary to be frightened over the defeated resolution as international sanctions could not be imposed against a country based on its outcome.
The UNHRC on Thursday adopted a contested resolution against Sri Lanka sponsored by the United States with 24 countries voting in favor, 15 against and eight abstaining.
The resolution has called for Sri Lanka to credibly investigate the allegations of violations of international humanitarian laws committed at the last stages of its armed conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels.

Editor: Lu Hui