Monthly Archives: March 2012

India’s action and government’s reaction to UNHRC Resolution

Best of a bad situation
The Sri Lankan government attempted to make the best of a bad situation by pointing to the narrowness of its defeat at the UN Human Rights Council last week. Out of the 47 countries on the Council, 15 of them supported Sri Lanka and voted against the resolution on Sri Lanka […]

By Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on March 26, 2012 at 12:29 am

Geneva 2012

Let’s learn the right lessons from the Geneva outcome, not the wrong ones. It is not the case that a small country
such as Sri Lanka cannot fight a diplomatic battle with the mighty USA and win. Minutes after the Sri Lanka vote at the HRC this time, the Cubans moved a resolution on the composition […]

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka | Published on March 25, 2012 at 6:33 pm

Can China bring stability to conflict-ridden states?

As the west’s influence wanes, China’s influence in some of the world’s most turbulent countries is on the rise – and having a significant impact
Saferworld’s Ivan Campbell kicked off a panel discussion on Thursday about China’s role in conflict-affected countries with a quote from a government official in South Sudan. “If a man is thirsty, […]

By | Published on March 25, 2012 at 6:14 pm

Cuba out voted at UN Human Rights Council over Sri Lanka

Shift
The Human Rights Council made a shift from May 2009 by voting (March 22) to criticize the Sri Lankan government for “not adequately address[ing] serious allegations of violations of international law” when conducting its final phases of war against the liberation
guerrilla army LTTE (Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eelam), which ended, May 18, 2009, with government-caused […]

By Ron Ridenour | Published on March 23, 2012 at 10:32 am

Tunisia to Host 2012 World Press Freedom Prize Award

UNESCO has announced that Tunisia will host the 2012 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. The prestigious award, worth US$25,000 will be presented in a ceremony marking World Press Freedom Day, on May 3rd.
According to UNESCO, the prize “is intended to honor a person, organization, or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the […]

By | Published on March 23, 2012 at 10:23 am

“Reprisals must stop,” urge top international experts on human rights defenders

GENEVA (14 March 2012) – A group of international experts on the situation of human rights defenders urged today world governments to halt reprisals against individuals and groups seeking to cooperate with the United Nations and regional human rights systems.* They also called on States to ease, rather than hinder, civil society’s access to the […]

By | Published on March 23, 2012 at 9:32 am

Senior UN official warns against harassing Sri Lankan human rights defenders

23 March 2012 – The UN’s human rights chief today warned that there must be no reprisals against Sri Lankan human rights defenders in the wake of a resolution calling on its Government to probe alleged abuses during the country’s civil war.
The warning from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, follows the […]

By | Published on March 23, 2012 at 9:25 am

Sri Lanka vote in line with our stand – Manmohan Singh

Thursday 22nd March, 2012: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday said India’s support to the US resolution at the UN against alleged Sri Lankan war crimes was in line with the government’s stand and urged Colombo to deliver justice to Tamils in the island nation.
“We have to weigh the pros and cons… What we did is […]

By | Published on March 22, 2012 at 10:08 am

Clinton on UNHRC Resolution – ‘Next steps are clear’

UN Human Rights Council Vote on Sri Lanka Reconciliation
Press Statement
Washington, DC
March 22, 2012: Today’s action by the UN Human Rights Council encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to continue on the path toward reconciliation following 27 years of civil war. The United States, together with the international community, sent a strong signal that Sri Lanka will […]

By | Published on March 22, 2012 at 10:01 am

India explains the vote against Sri Lanka at UNHRC

March 22, 2012: India believes that the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights lies with the States. Consequently resolutions of this nature should fully respect the sovereign rights of states and contribute to Sri Lanka’s own efforts in
this regard.
2. India had welcomed the recommendations of Sri Lanka’s LLRC report. We believe that […]

By | Published on March 22, 2012 at 9:54 am