The Leader of the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena met the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet this afternoon (28 February).
Agenda Item 2 General Debate: Presentation of the written update on the implementation of HRC Resolution 30/1 by the High Commissioner for Human Rights pursuant to HRC resolution 40/1, OHCHR Report on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ (A/HRC/43/19)
27 February 2020
Madam President
Madam High Commissioner
Ladies and gentlemen,
Minister of Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations - Dinesh Gunawardena who leads the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council arrived in Geneva today.
Ahead of the upcoming 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) scheduled to commence next Monday (24 February), Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha briefed the President of the HRC Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger on the decision of the Government of Sri Lanka to withdraw its co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 of March 2019 on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’, which also incorporates and builds on preceding Resolutions 30/1 of October 201
The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, in association with the Sri Lankan community of the tri-State area of New York, celebrated the 72nd Anniversary of Independence on 9th February 2020 at the High School of Fashion Industries Auditorium in New York. The event was attended by an audience of over 700 persons.
Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardenatoday (16 February 2020) formally conveyed to the US Ambassador AlainaTeplitzSri Lanka’s strong objections on the imposition of travel restrictions by the Government of the United States of America on Lt. Gen.Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army and Actg. Chief of Defence Staff, as well as his immediate family.
It was announced a short while ago that the US Department of State has designated Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, current Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Acting Chief of Defense Staff and his immediate family members. The public designation makes them ineligible for entry into the United States.
President of the Republic of Guinia-Bissau, Umaro Cissoko Embalo, accompanied by Ms. Suzi Barbosa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea-Bissau who made a brief visit to Sri Lanka this morning en route to Spain called on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees.
“Timelines evolved externally in achieving stated objectives would only seek to hinder the process of reconciliation since they would be bereft of ground realities” emphasized Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Kshenuka Senewiratne during a one day debate at the UN Security Council titled “Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace: Transitional Justice in conflict and post-conflict situations,” held on 13th February 2020. She added that when seeking m
