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US wants evidence of Lanka's actions on rights in UN report

Last Updated 06 March 2015, 09:39 IST

 The US has said it wants to see evidence of Sri Lanka's actions in promoting human rights, reconciliation and accountability in the UN report that has been deferred by six months after the country's newly-elected government sought more time to conclude its internal probe.

The US delegation told UN rights body yesterday that it was looking forward to receiving the report on Sri Lanka during the September session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and hope to see evidence in it of the Sri Lankan government's actions to promote human rights, reconciliation and accountability in the country.

The US delegation at the UNHRC said that it welcomes the High Commissioner's leadership in engaging with Sri Lanka's Government, which led to the extension of the release of the investigation's report.

The European Union (EU) said it also supported the deferral of Sri Lanka being discussed at the UNHRC during the ongoing session and the publication of the Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) report until September.

Welcoming the work of OISL and reaffirming its commitment to its final report, the EU urged the new Sri Lankan government to deliver on its commitment to engage with the OHCHR.

The EU said it stood ready to support Sri Lanka as it makes progress on its commitments.
The Tamil political parties and rights groups have expressed disappointment over the decision to defer the report on the premise that Sri Lanka would set up its own domestic mechanism with international technical assistance.

The UN Human Rights Council has delayed by six months the release of a report into alleged war crimes committed during Sri Lanka's civil war.

The report, which was earlier scheduled to be released on March 25 during the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), will now be out in September this year.
Lanka's new President Maithripala Sirisena took power last month after defeating Mahinda Rajapaksa who had vehemently resisted cooperation with the UN mandated probe.
Sri Lanka has been subject to three UNHRC resolutions in 2012, 2013 and 2014 over alleged rights abuses by government troops during the last phase of the three decade-long war with the LTTE in 2009.

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(Published 06 March 2015, 09:39 IST)

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