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Economic outcome of UNHRC resolution on SL: Economic outcome of UNHRC resolution on SL

25 Mar 2021

  • Notes risk to economy from legal battles, travel bans, and embargoes 

  As the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday (23) adopted a revised resolution for Sri Lanka, Former State Minister of Finance and current Member of Parliament Eran Wickremaratne noted that the Sri Lankan Government has managed to damage foreign diplomatic relations, resulting in negatively impacting the economic management of the country. “The Government has compounded its policy failures by appointing the wrong persons for defined tasks. The Covid-19 virus containment should have been led by health professionals and scientists from the outset. Our diplomatic initiatives should have been led by foreign policy professionals,” he stated. Wickremeratne, further reflecting on the vote on the Sri Lanka resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR), pointed out that Sri Lanka has reached its lowest brink in foreign policy management since the end of the civil war. The present resolution is heavily weighted towards the correction of the infringements of human rights of the past 16 months, over the issues pertaining to the military conflict that ended over a decade ago. He further emphasised the urgent need for a fresh appraisal to minimise the negative economic consequences of the resolution.  “We must not risk legal battles in foreign jurisdictions, travel bans, and economic and trade embargoes. The economic consequences will be catastrophic,” he added. A fresh approach will require the implementation of human rights initiatives as identified in Sri Lankan commission reports, where investigations and accountability are dealt with by domestic mechanisms that meet the concerns of the international community.  “Arriving at the truth is an essential part of the healing and reconciliation process. This, coupled with a fresh diplomatic initiative, could avert a further economic and financial crisis within the next couple of years,” he claimed in the statement. The resolution was adopted by the 47-member Council after 22 members voted in favour of the document at the ongoing 46th UNHRC session in Geneva, Switzerland. India and Japan were among 14 countries that abstained from voting. Eleven countries, including Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Russia, voted against the resolution.


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