Sri Lanka risked joining a the likes of North Korea, Iran and Syria by refusing to cooperate with international probes, said the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Atul Keshap, on a three day visit to Sri Lanka, in an interview with the DailyFT.
“It is concerning to me that a country with a long democratic tradition is currently in very select company with North Korea and Iran and Syria and other notorious human rights violators in categorically refusing to work with the OHCHR investigation,” Mr Keshap said, reportedly expressing dismay at the Sri Lankan parliament's vote against cooperation with the inquiry.
“Does Sri Lanka want to be seen in that company? Is that consistent with the vision of where Sri Lanka sees itself in world affairs?” he added, drawing attention to other US concerns over Sri Lanka's lack of progress towards a feasible political solution to share power with the Tamil community.
“Five years since the war ended I have not seen any meaningful negotiations of the very tricky political issues relating to federalism," he said, responding to questions on why resolutions on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council were getting harsher.
"Five years after the war ended. I am sorry to say that there seems to have been deterioration of respect for human rights in this country, in the north, in the south, all round," Mr Keshap said.
“It is concerning to me that a country with a long democratic tradition is currently in very select company with North Korea and Iran and Syria and other notorious human rights violators in categorically refusing to work with the OHCHR investigation,” Mr Keshap said, reportedly expressing dismay at the Sri Lankan parliament's vote against cooperation with the inquiry.
“Does Sri Lanka want to be seen in that company? Is that consistent with the vision of where Sri Lanka sees itself in world affairs?” he added, drawing attention to other US concerns over Sri Lanka's lack of progress towards a feasible political solution to share power with the Tamil community.
“Five years since the war ended I have not seen any meaningful negotiations of the very tricky political issues relating to federalism," he said, responding to questions on why resolutions on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council were getting harsher.
"Five years after the war ended. I am sorry to say that there seems to have been deterioration of respect for human rights in this country, in the north, in the south, all round," Mr Keshap said.