The Human Rights Council Can’t Handle Sri Lanka – Huffington post (press release) (blog)

During the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council (which ended in late March), a cosponsored resolution on Sri Lanka was passed. The resolution which deals largely with human rights and transitional justice is the fifth country-specific Sri Lanka resolution since 2012.

Leading up to, during and after the session a range of commentary has been published on this topic and one thing really stands out. Many have referred to Sri Lanka being granted more time to move ahead with its transitional justice process. We have been told that Colombo has been given more time or been allowed to proceed.

Its true that the Council will monitor Sri Lankas transitional justice process for another two years. However, something truly odd is going on here. Why are people intimating that there was some other (more drastic) option looming during the Councils 34th session?

The passage of another resolution on Sri Lanka was basically staged theater, a foregone conclusion before the session had begun. More resolute action simply wasnt on the table.

In a recent Washington Examiner piece, I looked at Sri Lankas relationship with the Council in more detail. Heres a paragraph from the article:

Sri Lanka has basically been disregarding Council resolutions for the past five years. The current administration is more than happy to keep this dance at the Geneva-based body going, because its ensures that they can at least for an international audience remain publicly committed to a lot of reforms that they have virtually no intention of ever implementing.

The inescapable reality is that the international community, particularly the U.S. and its allies, have completely caved. Colombos promises have not been met with significant tangible action and the smart money says things wont look that different in the coming years.

The current state of affairs in Sri Lanka is being manipulated for various reasons: including the desire for a success story, perceived geopolitical exigencies and fundamental misunderstandings about the country.

So, lets be clear and candid about whats happening.

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The Human Rights Council Can't Handle Sri Lanka - Huffington post (press release) (blog)