Less pressure on Sri Lanka at UNHRC

The pressure on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will be considerably less with the United States withdrawing from the Council, Co-cabinet spokesperson Minister Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday.

He however added that it was the country’s responsibility either way as a member of the Council to adhere to the UN Human Rights Charter.

“We have to fulfill our human rights obligations for our own people, regardless of any pressure”, he said. The UNHRC in 2013 adopted a US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the Council. In 2015, the government co-sponsored another resolution with the US promising to fulfill many human rights obligations.