The United Kingdom and Canada have notified the Sri Lankan government that they intend to present a new resolution on Sri Lanka at the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) next month. The notification was reportedly conveyed verbally, according to media reports.
With the withdrawal of the United States—which co-sponsored previous resolutions on Sri Lanka—from the UNHRC, the government anticipates a potential change in the composition of the core group on Sri Lanka. The previous core group consisted of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Malawi, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. The government believes that Malawi, Montenegro, and North Macedonia may not support this year’s resolution.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who visited Sri Lanka in June, is scheduled to present his report on the “Situation of Human Rights in Sri Lanka” on September 8, the opening day of the 60th session. During his visit, High Commissioner Türk inspected the Chemmani mass grave site, which is expected to feature prominently in his report.
Sri Lanka will be represented at the Geneva session by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, who will deliver a statement on behalf of the government. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Herath noted that the approach toward Sri Lanka at the UNHRC has softened since the new government assumed office in September last year.
The minister also stated that the government’s plan to establish an independent prosecutor’s office, as outlined in the NPP election manifesto, would help strengthen international trust in Sri Lanka’s domestic accountability mechanisms.
“We are committed to establishing the independent prosecutor’s office. The legal process for this will be addressed in the coming months,” he said.
Addressing increasing calls for an international investigation into the Chemmani mass grave, Herath stressed that the matter would be handled by the courts without government interference.
“There are other such locations, such as in Mannar and Matale, where the government has allowed the due process of law to take place, including exhumations and investigations. We will remain transparent in these matters,” he added.
