"A culture of impunity exists and many women are afraid to report cases of intimidation and ill-treatment to the authorities."

India’s National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon said that Sri Lanka had expressed concern about Mauritius co-sponsoring the UNHRC resolution.

“Sri Lanka expressed concern that Mauritius had co-sponsored the resolution” Menon told media in New Delhi, speaking after the third Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation, between India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Mauritius is set to join the maritime security group, prompting Sri Lanka to say that trust needed to be built between neighbours.

The British government has urged Sri Lanka to sign the UN Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, the Daily Mirror reported on Friday.

The UK High Commissioner in Colombo John Rankin said in a statement to mark International Women’s Day tomorrow, that Britain “strongly encouraged” Sri Lanka to sign the declaration.

The Sri Lankan Minister for Plantations Mahinda Samarasinghe called the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay a "liar" and accused her of being determined to be aggressive against Sri Lanka.

Speaking at an election rally, Samarasinghe, who is also the president’s special envoy on human rights, said the government will not “succumb to pressure from some countries or the UN Human Rights Chief to betray the soldiers who fought the war against the LTTE”, the Colombo Gazette reported.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka is ready to face any challenge to preserve its independence and sovereignty, reported Outlook India magazine.

"Achieving a stable peace has made it possible for the government to secure Sri Lanka's sovereignty, independence and food security thus strengthening its resolve to face any challenge," the brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa said at an event in Ratnapura.

"When crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity are left unpunished, and the international community lacks the will to ensure accountability, it creates an environment of impunity that makes the world more vulnerable. Accountability requires first of all fact-finding, then the identification of those responsible, punishment, reparations for victims, and restructuring of national institutions. When accountability is not a priority, prevention against future violations will also suffer."