Mr. President,
Preamble Paragraph 10 of the founding UNGA resolution 60/251 recognizes that the promotion and protection of human rights should be based on the principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue and aimed at strengthening the capacity of Member States to comply with their human rights obligations for the benefit of all human beings. Operative Paragraph 5(a) of the same resolution mandates the Council to promote human rights education and learning as well as advisory services, and to provide technical assistance and capacity-building in consultation with and with the consent of Member States concerned.
Statement by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, exercising the right of reply on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation, during the debate under Item 4 on Human Rights situations that require the attention of the Human Rights Council, 24th September 2007
The statement by the Sri Lanka delegation to the Sixth Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 21st September 2007 at Palais des Nations in Geneva emphasized the strong commitment of the Government to eradicate the heinous practice of child recruitment.
Madam Moderator,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Asian Group.
First of all let me express our thanks to the President of the Human Rights Council and members of the Bureau for providing a space for this discussion on gender perspective in the work of the Human Rights Council. We also take this opprtunity to thank to all those delegations who were instrumental for this initiative. This is a good opportunity for exchange of views on this important subject.
“In the coming months I very much look forward to country visits to both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mme. Louise Arbour in her closing remarks at the 6th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held at the Palais de Nations, Geneva, on 13th and 14th September 2007.
Responding to her statement, and the one paragraph references to Sri Lanka in the Statement of the European Union read out by the Ambassador of Portugal (the current president of the EU) during the general debate, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva said that the visit of the High Commissioner was one of a number of initiatives taken by the Govt of Sri Lanka including visits by two UN Special Rapporteurs and a high level delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). He said that Sri Lanka has proven its willingness to have an open and constructive dialogue with the international community and UN Human Rights mechanisms at a difficult time when a ruthless and continuing terrorist war was being waged against it by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Sri Lankan delegation states that the country has successfully managed to control and contain the HIV epidemic on 27th July 2007 under Agenda item 7 (h) at Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held in Geneva.
Here is the full text of the Statement.
Statement by Sri Lanka delegation (by Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad, Counsellor) under Agenda item 7 (h) at Substantive Session of ECOSOC 2007 on 27 July 2007
Sri Lankan delegation expressed its serious concern with regard to the recent trend of equating and clustering of countries and putting them in different baskets as a means of expressing the nature of different humanitarian situations in the world on 25th July 2007 under the item 14 (e) of the General Segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) being held in Geneva.
- Speech made by Hon.Mahinda Samarasinghe - M/Disaster Managment & Human Rights in Sri Lanka at the launch of "Humanitarian Appeal 2007: Mid-Year Review" organised by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva
- Satement made by Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad, Counsellor on behalf of Sri Lanka delegation under Agenda item 5: Humanitarian Affairs Segment of the Substantive Session of ECOSOC 2007 Geneva 16 July 2007
- Statement made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 96th Session of the International Labour Conference Geneva, 15 June 2007