A number of member states expressed their full endorsement of the UN High Commissioner's call for an international independent investigation into mass war time atrocities, and ongoing human rights violations in Sri Lanka, urging fellow members of the Council to vote in favour of a resolution currently tabled on Sri Lanka.

Drawing on its own history of conflict, Sierra Leone, Austria and Ireland, stressed the need for accountability and justice, for genuine reconciliation. See here for more.

Sierra Leone said,

"..from the various accounts that have been brought to our attention, it is clear that the much-needed reconciliation, that would ensure sustainable peace and stability, is not yet in sight.”

"We believe that in the absence of a credible domestic investigation and of a demonstration of the political will by the Sri Lankan government to conduct one, the logical course of action would be the setting up of an independent international investigation that would contribute to the accountability process for any violations of international law by both sides of the conflict, and support long term reconciliation in the country.”

Expressing serious concern at the on-going human rights violations in the country, Canada's representative said, "failure to address these issues of accountability reinforces other worrying trends."

Stating that meaningful progress "has not been achieved", Canada reiterated its support for the OHCHR's "call for an independent international investigation into violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law during and since the war".
 
Addressing the Council, European members including the European Union, Montenegro, France, Ireland, Austria, Macedonia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, Belarus, Belgium and Denmark supported the address made by Greece on behalf of the body, calling for an international investigation into allegations of mass war times atrocities, and ongoing human rights abuses.

The European Union, which also received backing from Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Armenia, stated that,

“The EU shares in particular the concern of the High Commissioner that domestic investigations to date into allegations of serious violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law, including possible war crimes, have lacked credibility and have been insufficient. We note the assessment of the High Commissioner that this was ‘fundamentally a question of political will’ rather than as a function of time or technical capacity.”

See their full statement here.

Austria said that in the absence of a domestic process, “the international community has to take appropriate steps”, fully aligning themselves with the statement by the European Union.

See their full statement here.

Ireland backed the UN High Commissioner’s report, whilst also “deploring the recent arrest, detention and harassment of Human Rights Defenders in Sri Lanka, coinciding with this session of the Council”.

See their full statement here.

Noting that “impunity for large scale violations of human rights may risk setting a damaging precedent in terms of how states deal with internal dissent and conflict”, Denmark also backed the call for an international investigation.

See their full statement here.

Montenegro, one of the co-sponsors the resolution on Sri Lanka, stated it was “imperative for the international community to remain focused on the situation in Sri Lanka”.

See their full statement here.

France stated that “countering impunity is a precondition to establishing real national reconciliation", recalling the still unpunished “appalling murder” of ACF workers by Sri Lankan security forces.

See their full statement in French here.

Macedonia stated it was “dismayed to note persistent lack of credible domestic investigations”, further backing the recommendations made the UN High Commissioner.

See their full statement here.