Sri Lanka’s Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) has slammed the current government for reportedly agreeing to a UN resolution at the Human Rights Council, calling it the “worst form of treachery”.
"It is absolutely shocking that the Sri Lanka government is not prepared to amend this "bogus" Resolution,” LSSP leader, Tissa Vitarana, said in a statement. “It is the worst form of treachery and no member of Parliament should condone this.”
The LSSP joins several other Sinhala political groups in rejecting the UN resolution, including the Sri Lankan president himself, who called for the resolution to be withdrawn.
“It is inconceivable that the UNP government, instead of refusing to be a co-signatory and rejecting the Resolution outright, is content to ask for time to implement it under the supervision of the UNHRC,” said the LSSP.
It went on to call the decision not to object to the resolution a “grave mistake” and said the government has “permitted the international community to interfere in our internal affairs, thereby surrendering our sovereignty”.
"Not surprisingly, pro-LTTE Diaspora elements like Fr. Emanuel are in Sri Lanka and influencing local politicians to come up with proposals like setting up a UNHRC office in Jaffna with a UN Rapporteur,” it added. “It was through such a course that UN troops were brought in and led to the break up of East Timor.”
"Besides dangerous outcomes like this, the implementation of various charges against those whom the people in the South regard as liberators and saviours, be they soldiers or politicians, will not only end reconciliation but also lead to bitter hatred arising once again between communities, creating conditions for another conflict. One wonders whether this is seen as the way out for an unpopular government that is afraid to face the electorate".
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The statement from the LSSP comes as the UN Human Rights Council prepares to discuss Sri Lanka in Geneva next week. A current draft resolution tabled at the council will grant Colombo a further two years to implement a resolution, which mandates a hybrid accountability mechanism for atrocity crimes.
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