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The post-resolution path 

24 Mar 2021

The much-awaited vote on the newest Resolution against Sri Lanka at the 46th United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) reached its climax on 23 March, with 22 countries voting in favour of the Resolution, 11 countries voting against it and 14 countries abstaining from casting their vote.  The new Resolution was passed after the country’s abrupt withdrawal from the previous UNHRC resolution last year regarding accountability over human rights in the aftermath of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dinesh Gunawardena, following the vote, expressed disapproval of the Resolution, expressing a certain confidence in the fact that a majority of the Member Countries of the UNHRC had not voted for the Resolution, even though a majority of those who voted had voted in favour of it. He also noted that the implementation of the mechanisms outlined in the Resolution, i.e. preserving evidence relating to violations of human rights in Sri Lanka to advance accountability, cannot be done by the mere adoption of the Resolution.  However, when looking at the national issues that are still persisting and worsening even though it has been a decade since the end of the war, passing national issues on to the next Government or until the next UNHRC Session does not seem like a very wise decision. If the Government, as it has claimed on a number of occasions, is genuinely trying to rectify national issues without the adoption of a UNHRC Resolution or the involvement of the international community, this is high time for it to expedite that process.  Failure to do so or the lethargy the Sri Lankan Government has shown in the past few years concerning related matters, is likely to pose newer and more severe challenges. What became of Sri Lanka’s persistent and optimistic attempts to get the support of the international community at the UNHRC Session remains no longer a mystery. While Sri Lanka had high hopes about India’s vote in support of Sri Lanka, some also anticipated that India would vote against the resolution due to the Tamil Nadu factor that plays a big role in Indo-Lanka ties. The Indian Government ultimately decided to take a neutral stance and decided to abstain from voting, despite it being one of the UNHRC Member Countries Sri Lanka tried to obtain the support of.  India’s stance showed that even though it values ties with Sri Lanka, especially with China wooing Sri Lanka, that it is greatly concerned about the sentiments of the Tamil Nadu population. The South Indian state’s people and thereby its politicians heavily focus on Sri Lankan Tamils in the island’s North and East, and it would have been a massive risk for the Modi Government to vote in favour of Sri Lanka, especially with the Tamil Nadu election set to commence in less than two weeks.  It was also notable that 10 of the 14 countries which abstained from the vote are Members of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). During the weekend, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had contacted the OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen whilst Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had spoken to the Deputy King of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, both moves timed so as to possibly sway the votes of these nations towards Sri Lanka.  In a context where Sri Lanka has not welcomed the new UNHRC Resolution, the challenges Sri Lanka is likely to encounter are twofold. On the one hand, Sri Lanka has to prove to the international community including the UNHRC of which it is a part that the country is capable of handling its internal issues transparently. On the other hand, Sri Lanka is facing a challenge to manage the internal aspects of the country’s reconciliation process, including the demand for justice and accountability made by domestic forces. Managing the latter situation will significantly reduce the likeliness of the country having to face further international influence.  It is an undeniable fact that Sri Lanka has to see to it that its sovereignty and autonomy remains unscathed. However, in that process, it is equally important to acknowledge the fact that there are certain domestic aspects that should be placed in a higher position if the country’s sovereignty is to actually mean something. If not managed properly, these aspects – including but not limited to democracy, human rights, inter-ethnic harmony and accountability – can pose a severe threat to the country’s sovereignty, even after successfully evading international interventions and influence.  The pressure on Sri Lanka from both internal and external forces is on the rise, and more visible than before. If the Government’s final decision is to not adopt the new Resolution, it has to acknowledge the fact that it has to augment and strengthen the existing reconciliation mechanisms.  With the passing of the newest Resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights, the country has entered a more decisive era, and the decisions Sri Lanka makes will decide whether the coming few years would be trying times or a fresh era of progress.

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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


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