Ahead of the passing of a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka, a US$2.8 million budget was being requested by the global body to begin collecting evidence of mass atrocities that could be used for future war crimes trials.

CIVICUS welcomed the resolution passed on Sri Lanka this morning in Geneva but said it "represents a missed opportunity to mandate an international accountability mechanism." 

In a statement reacting to the United Human Rights Council resolution, CIVICUS welcomed that the resolution "raises serious concerns" over the shrinking space for civil society which has been "squeezed tighter under the Rajapaksa government." 

"Independent NGOs are increasingly being silenced and even peaceful protests seeking accountability by victims of the civil war have been targeted," CIVICUS added

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister addressed a press conference in Colombo earlier today, where he claimed that a UN resolution on accountability in Sri Lanka had “failed”, despite it passing just hours earlier with 22 votes in favour to 14 votes against and 11 abstentions.

In a last minute press conference, Dinesh Gunawardena told reporters that the resolution was “a waste of money” and “highly uncalled for”.

“Without the consent and acceptance of the country concerned, it cannot be implemented,” he continued.

India said that it would continue to urge the Sri Lankan government to “address the aspirations of the Tamil community,” even as it abstained from voting in favour of a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for mass atrocities committed on the island earlier today.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution on accountability and justice in Sri Lanka, by 22 votes in favour to 14 votes against and 11 abstentions.

The resolution, adopted earlier today, will mandate the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to "collect" as well as "consolidate, analyse and preserve” evidence that could be used in future war crimes trials.

The resolution also “expresses serious concern at the trends emerging over the past year, which represent a clear early warning sign of a deteriorating situation of human rights in Sri Lanka” and highlights “ongoing impunity and political obstruction of accountability for crimes and human rights violations”.

More than US$ 2.8 million has been budgeted for the collection and analysis of evidence, with a report to be produced and presented to the Council in 2022.

Sri Lankan Police have arrested freelance journalist, Sujeewa Gamage, for allegedly making 'false claims that he was abducted, tortured and abandoned on a road in Colombo by armed men on 10 March 2021,

While receiving treatment for burns and injuries in the hospital, Gamage told the press that the attack was to obtain information, containing his news sources and of his affiliations with opposition politicians, that was in his possession at the time of the incident. 

Amnesty International have expressed concern over  "a worrying trend of increased marginalisation and targeting of Sri Lanka’s Muslim community" in a new report as discrimination of Muslims continues to rise on the island. 

In their report, Amnesty International highlighted four new Sri Lankan government proposals and regulations that have been proposed this month which target the Muslim community on the island.

The Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) spokesperson M.A Sumanthiran has expressed that “hopes are high” that India will vote for the resolution on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, despite Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary, Jayanath Colombage stating that India has “assured” the government of its support against it, reports The Hindu.

^{Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen - Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)}

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General, Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, received a phone call from Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, where relations between the OIC and Sri Lanka were discussed as well as the situation of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka.  

As the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council is set to vote on a crucial resolution on Sri Lanka tomorrow, politicians in Tamil Nadu have come out with statements urging the Indian government to vote in favour of the resolution, and for justice and accountability for Eelam Tamils.