A leading Tamil Diaspora organization expresses disappointment, dismay over new UNHCR resolution on Sri Lanka

Sat, 2019-03-23 07:06 — editor

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Geneva, 23 March, (Asiantribune.com):

A leading Tamil Diaspora organization, London based, 'The Global Tamil Forum' (GTF) has expressed its disappointment and dismay that the new resolution (40/1) failed to set clear pathway for accelerated progress towards implementation of the Resolution 30/1.

The statement received by Asian Tribune reveal that “The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) acknowledges the passing of the resolution ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ (40/1) at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and thank all those who worked towards it, particularly the thirty-two countries that co-sponsored, among those the core-group that led this initiative.”

The statement adds, “While we welcome continuous monitoring of human rights and accountability in Sri Lanka by the UNHRC, we are disappointed that the new resolution failed to set clear pathway for accelerated progress towards implementation of the Resolution 30/1.”

While expressing its degree of disappointment over the newly adopted resolution, the GTF articulates that there is strong disappointment in the Tamil community that ten years after the end of the war, and three years after Sri Lanka co-sponsored Resolution 30/1, there is very little progress on accountability and transitional justice.

The resolution further adds:

Quote:>/b>“High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet’s report to the Council accurately describes this unfortunate reality - the minimalist initiatives by Sri Lanka ’have yet to produce concrete benefits for individual right holders’; ‘such slow progress in establishing meaningful transitional justice measures has engendered mistrust among victims and other stakeholders’; and that ‘Sri Lanka has failed to seize the opportunity provided by the Human Rights Council to establish a trustworthy domestic mechanism to address impunity.’

Therefore, the burning question among the victims and the Tamil community is – what difference is another resolution going to make, considering this is the seventh UNHRC resolution in the decade after the end of the war?
It is this dismal performance by the Sri Lankan government and the increasing frustration among the victims that UNHRC will not be able to course-correct Sri Lanka towards an acceptable pace of progress that contribute to calls by many that UNHRC should refer Sri Lanka to the UN Security Council for further action.

Resolution 40/1 seriously falls short of required action – Sri Lanka's abject failure and delay in implementing its key commitments, the continuing sufferings of the victims and their families, and the need for accelerated progress on constitutional reform for devolution of power have not merited mention; and it does not set timelines and benchmarks to guide and monitor progress.

Our minimum expectation for this resolution was to incorporate a time-bound action plan with the involvement of the OHCHR – very much in alignment with High Commissioner’s recommendation. While the need for a time-bound implementation strategy is acknowledged, it is disappointing that the resolution lacks specificity of how it will become operational. It is our earnest request that such an operational arrangement be worked out as an urgent priority with the full involvement of the OHCHR.”(End of Quotes)

- Asian Tribune -