Consideration of the Fifth Periodic Report of Sri Lanka under the Committee Against Torture (CAT) took place at the 59th Session of the Committee Against Torture, held at the Palais Wilson in Geneva, on 15-16 November 2016. Hon. Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, Attorney General of Sri Lanka and Leader of the Sri Lanka delegation introduced the report.
Sri Lanka as the current Chair of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, is committed to see expedited transformation into sustainable development. In our own country, a National Sustainable Development Act in conformity with the SDGs is scheduled to be tabled in the Parliament soon. The objective of this new Act is to formulate a National Policy and Strategy on Sustainable Development and to provide the necessary legal and institutional framework for developing and implementing it.
Please find attached the full statement of the Government of Sri Lanka delivered by Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and the Leader of the Sri Lanka Delegation to the 33rd Session of the Human Rights Council.
This Statement was made during the Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) held today (15 September 2016) following, the statement by the Chair Rapporteur of the Working Group presenting the report on its visit to Sri Lanka from 9 – 18 November 2015.
Consideration of the Second Periodic Report of Sri Lanka under the Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) took place at the 25th Session of the Committee on Migrant Workers, held at the Palais Wilson in Geneva, today (1 September 2016). Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva and Leader of the Sri Lanka delegation introduced the report.
The Sri Lanka delegation to the review included Mr. G.S. Witanage, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Employment, Mr. C.A.H.M. Wijeratne, Senior Director General (Legal), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya, Deputy Permanent Representative Sri Lanka , Mr. W.M.V. Wanasekara, Additional General Manager, Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, Mr. Gamini Rathnayake, Director, Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, Ms. Dilini Gunasekera, Second Secretary, Ms. M.L.F. Mafusa, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka and Mrs. Sarasi De Silva, Attaché/Documentation & Research of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka.
Consideration of the 10th-17th Periodic Reports of Sri Lanka under the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) was held on 15th -16th August 2016 at the Palais Wilson. Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva introduced the report.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera, leader of the Sri Lanka delegation, addressed the 32nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council at the presentation of the Oral Update on the Implementation of the HRC Resolution A/HRC/RES/30/1 by the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, today (29 June 2016).
Hon. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva,Mr. Mano Tittawella, Secretary General, Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM) and other senior officials of the Government of Sri Lanka were associated with the Minister.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera, met UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein at the Palais Wilson in Geneva on 29 June 2016.
Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana, Mr. Mano Tittawella, Secretary General Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM) and other government officials briefed members of civil society and Permanent Missions at a side event on ‘Recent Developments in Sri Lanka’ on the sidelines of the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council held at the Palais des Nations on 28 June 2016.
H.E. Mr. Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva moderated the event.
Sri Lanka said that it remains committed to ensure the Right to Development through its national development policies. Owing to Sri Lanka’s long history of consistent investments in health, education and poverty alleviation programmes, the country has succeeded in achieving some targets in relation to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), ahead of schedule.
Sri Lanka made these observations during the Panel discussion on the promotion and protection of the Right to Development Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development in the sidelines of the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva from 13 June – 1 July 2016.
Sri Lanka said “Especially in the context of factually incorrect reference to Sri Lanka in the Report, we welcome the visit of the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues to Sri Lanka, as such a visit will certainly enable the Special Rapporteur to engage with all concerned in my country to obtain the factual position in this regard and accurate information which will clarify and clear misconceptions pertaining to the areas mentioned in this report”.
Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya made this intervention at the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues under Agenda Item 3 during the 31st Session of the Human Rights Council held at the Palais des Nations on 15 March 2016 in Geneva.
Sri Lanka participated in the general debate held under Item 3 regarding the Report of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Right to Development at the 30th Session of the Human Right Council in Geneva on 17 September 2015.
Full Statement
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha today outlined Sri Lanka’s view on the current draft resolution being considered at the 30th Session of the Human Rights Council during the first informal held at the Palais des Nations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera addressed the 30th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, in his capacity as the leader of the Sri Lanka delegation today (14th September 2015) in Geneva.
Hon. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana, Hon. Austin Fernando, Governor - Eastern Province and Adviser to H.E. the President, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva and senior officials of the Government of Sri Lanka participated in the opening meeting.
Sri Lanka addressed Third Session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on a Draft United Nation Declaration on the Right to Peace held during 20 – 24 April 2015 in Geneva.
Full Statement
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
27 April 2015
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha on 2 April 2015 addressed the first in the 'Ambassador’s Luncheon Series', on "The Role of Women in Peace-building: a Sri Lankan Perspective". The event which is a follow-up to the Geneva Peace Conference that was convened last year and focussed on Asian experiences of peace building, was co-organized by the Journalist and Writers Foundation (JWF), the Dialog Institute and Geneva Press Club. Mr. Subhas Gujadhur, Director of Universal Rights Group chaired the event.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera addressing the High Level segment on the opening day of the 28th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, on 2nd March 2015 in Geneva briefed the Council on developments in Sri Lanka following the presidential election on 8th January and the new Government taking office. The Minister noted the Government was committed to engage and work in cooperation with a range of international organisations and countries and seek solutions to issues through dialogue, cooperation, understanding and learning.
Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, Senior Advisor on Foreign Affairs to the President of Sri Lanka visited Geneva from 27th – 29th January 2015.
He met the High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President of the Human Rights Council Joachim Rücker, as well as all members of the Human Rights Council in Groups.
Sri Lanka reiterates its supports the adoption of a Declaration which would demonstrate the commitment and efforts of the international community for the promotion and protection of the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.
Sri Lanka made this intervention at the First Informal Consultation of the Open-ended Working Group on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas at the Human Rights Council on 12 November 2014 in Geneva.
Following the News Release yesterday (7 November 2014) by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemning disinformation designed to discredit the UN investigation on Sri Lanka, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva has sent the attached communication to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in this regard.
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