The European Union (EU) has called on Sri Lanka to “further increase its cooperation” with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights “in view of the full implementation of its commitments” of a UN resolution passed last year.

Speaking at the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council currently underway in Geneva, the EU also thanked human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussain for information provided by his recent visit to the island.

“We would be interested in your views on how the international community can best support Sri Lanka at this juncture,” added the EU statement.

Britain reiterated its commitment to the full implementation of a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for mass atrocities committed during the final phases of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, at a statement delivered in Geneva this week.

In a statement at the UN Human Rights Council’s 31st session, the United Kingdom said:

“We remain firmly committed to the full implementation of the resolution adopted in September and stand ready to help Sri Lanka”.

“We encourage the government to continue in its efforts to help bring lasting peace to Sri Lanka, including by establishing credible and consultative reconciliation and accountability mechanism and, by strengthening its engagement with your office.”

Sri Lanka needs international involvement “at all levels” in order to implement a UN resolution on accountability for mass atrocities, said the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR).

In a statement delivered to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, IMADR said that in Sri Lanka “the President and Prime Minister made statements which have created uncertainties and anxieties in the minds of the families of the disappeared and those seeking accountability in the post war context”.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister said recently that the tens of thousands of missing Tamils across the North-East were “probably dead”, without offering an explanation for their deaths, whilst Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed the notion of international involvement in an accountability mechanism.

“It is in our experience that Sri Lanka needs international expertise at all levels in order to effectively implement the resolution,” IMADR added.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussain said the Sri Lankan government needs to move faster on releasing land held by the military, reviewing cases of Tamil detainees and resolving the issue of disappearances.

Speaking at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr Hussain said the national consultations on designing a trasnitional justice mechanism must be held in an environment "free of surveillance and intimidation".

The high commissioner stressed the importance of accountability and transitional justice. See remarks on Sri Lanka below:

"If past human rights violations are not adequately addressed, grievances and other issues at the root of the past conflicts will continue to fester, and may even lead to their recurrence.

"There are important lessons in this respect for Sri Lanka, which is on its own journey toward accountability, reconciliation and durable peace.

China will be allowed to go ahead with its plans to construct the long-touted port city in Colombo, despite the controversy surrounding its links with the previous government under Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“The cabinet committee on economic management has recommended allowing resumption of the project subject to limitations and conditions stipulated in the EIA (environmental impact assessment),” the government said in a statement.