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STORY: GENEVA / SRI LANKA
TRT: 2.09
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 27 MAY 2009, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior Palais des Nations
27 MAY 2009, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Pan right, delegates
3. Close up, voting device
4. Zoom out, board
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Uhomoibhi, Human Rights Council President:
“The results of the recorded vote are as follows: 29 in favor, 12 against and six abstentions. The draft resolution L.1/ Rev.2 is therefore adopted.
6. Med shot, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador of Sri Lanka:
“L.1/ Rev.2 is not a blank check for the government of Sri Lanka. It embeds the totality of the agreement between the Secretary-General and the government of Sri Lanka. It is not a blank check. It does not give a green light to Sri Lanka to do anything and everything it wants, but it is not a punitive text either. It is not a manifesto for a lynch mob and this is its true value.”
8. Med shot, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Terry Corimier, Ambassador of Canada:
“Canada and the cross-regional group of countries which requested the Special Session engaged in all possible efforts to reach consensus on an outcome that would address the serious human rights and humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka, provide for full, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations, address the needs of internally displaced persons, safeguard the rights of ethnic minorities, address accountability for violations and provide for follow-up by the Council. We regret that our reasonable proposals were refused and that the credibility of the Council has been further undermined as a result.”
10. Tilt down, Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council wound-up its special session on Sri Lanka today (27 May) adopting a resolution which acknowledges the commitment of the Sri Lankan government to provide access to humanitarian agencies "as appropriate" to ensure assistance to people affected by the just concluded conflict.
The resolution urges the government to continue strengthening its activities to ensure there is no discrimination against ethnic minorities.
Twenty-nine member states voted in favor of the resolution, twelve opposed it and six states abstained.
SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Uhomoibhi, Human Rights Council President:
“The results of the recorded vote are as follows: 29 in favor, 12 against and six abstentions. The draft resolution L.1/ Rev.2 is therefore adopted.
The vote followed a previous one which blocked amendments proposed by the European Union that would have stressed the need to investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and bring perpetrators to justice.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka welcomed the result. He said the resolution reflected the agreement made by the government of Sri Lanka and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during Ban's visit to the country over the weekend.
The Ambassador said the resolution did not give Sri Lanka a green light to do anything it wants, but it was not punitive either.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador of Sri Lanka:
“L.1/ Rev.2 is not a blank check for the government of Sri Lanka. It embeds the totality of the agreement between the Secretary-General and the government of Sri Lanka. It is not a blank check. It does not give a green light to Sri Lanka to do anything and everything it wants, but it is not a punitive text either. It is not a manifesto for a lynch mob and this is its true value.”
The European Union led the opposition to the text saying it failed to call on the government to ensure an independent, effective investigation into alleged violations.
Terry Corimier of Canada felt the credibility of the Human Rights Council had been undermined as a result.
SOUNDBITE (English) Terry Corimier, Ambassador of Canada:
“Canada and the cross-regional group of countries which requested the Special Session engaged in all possible efforts to reach consensus on an outcome that would address the serious human rights and humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka, provide for full, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations, address the needs of internally displaced persons, safeguard the rights of ethnic minorities, address accountability for violations and provide for follow-up by the Council. We regret that our reasonable proposals were refused and that the credibility of the Council has been further undermined as a result.”
300,000 people have been uprooted by the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels, which ended officially on 16 May 2009 when President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
