Speaking at the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council earlier this week, Sri Lanka delivered revealingly weak excuses at a Panel Discussion on Intimidation & Reprisals.

Discussing the topic of intimidation and reprisals against individuals and groups who cooperate or have cooperated with the UN in the field of human rights, a field of infamous expertise for Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan delegate told the council,

“One must not lose sight that rights can bear fruit only when it is exercised with sensitivity to the accompanying duties”

“In this context Sri Lanka is concerned that the council has increasingly witnessed the disturbing strength of unsubstantiated and uncorroborated allegations being used for political purposes by certain sections of the international community and NGOs to seek to name and shame specific countries.”

With its notorious reputation for freedom of expression, Sri Lanka also said,

“States cannot at the same time be held responsible for any comments and references made in the independent media against such persons or entities, which would be tantamount to an interference with the freedom of expression.”

They must have conveniently failed to recall an article published on The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka on the 17th of March 2012, naming several human rights activists and accusing them of “working with the LTTE rumps to conspire against their own motherland.”

See Sri Lankan NGO activists work with LTTE rumps in Geneva - The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka (17 Mar 2012)

See Sri Lanka’s  statement at 2 hours 19 minutes.

Meanwhile Lawyers Rights Watch also gave a statement at the discussion, with Ms Vani Selvarajah telling the council,

“Unfortunately, despite several calls for action, a number of states continue to engage in reprisals against human rights defenders- among these countries are Bahrain, Malawi, Sri Lanka and Sudan.”

“Elsewhere, human rights defenders in Sri Lanka face a climate of fear, intimidation and threats. The space for free expression and association has been severely restricted by government legislation requiring NGOs to obtain government clearance for all gatherings and activities. Similarly, news websites covering Sri Lanka have been ordered to register with Sri Lanka’s information ministry, after officials stated that a number of websites had already been blocked for engaging in “character assassination” of the President.”

“This intimidation has followed activists to Geneva, as human rights defenders in this very building have been directly approached by members of the Sri Lankan delegation and told that, “they should not be in Geneva.” They also faced violent threats from government ministers and media in Sri Lanka.

One Minister pledged to “break the limbs” of journalists and human rights activists who advocated for the UNHRC resolution that passed this March. Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada commends these human rights defenders who have courageously chosen to return to Geneva and are with us here today.”

“LRWC calls on the Council to systematically condemn and respond to harassment and intimidation against human rights defenders. Without their work, the objectives and even the existence of this very Council are endangered.”

See the full statement here and at 2 hours 33 minutes on the video.