The United States has warned that international action maybe initiated on Sri Lanka if the island fails to implement the latest resolution adopted at the UN Human Rights Council.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Sri Lanka should listen to the words of the international community and implement the plan that they have never implemented.

She was referring to the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) which the US sponsored resolution calls for the full implementa

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha has said Thursdays vote on Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), had provided a rare moment of solidarity for countries that continued to believe in principle, to stand up and be counted, at a time the composition of the HRC is heavily weighted in favour of Western powers, and Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Jordan, Russia and Saudi Arabia who resisted action against Sri Lanka in 2012, were no longer members of the HRC. Am

The level of representation of countries at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is beyond Sri Lanka’s control, and all the government can do is invite member states to participate, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L Peiris yesterday said.

Making closing remarks at a guest-lecture by visiting Canadian Senator Hugh Segal at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, the Minister said Sri Lanka is a “hospitable country” and would continue in this tradition.

In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam speaks about the UNHRC resolution and the implications.
Has domestic politics over Lankan Tamils damaged India-Sri Lanka ties?
There is no dispute between India and Sri Lanka. Our bilateral ties are not at all affected. Core issue has been the resolution, which was brought in by the United States. The resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council was uncalled for as it does not take into account all the progress that Sri Lanka has m

Human Rights Watch has criticised the Federal Government for waiting until the last minute to endorse a UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for a war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka.

The US-sponsored resolution, which passed on Thursday night, says the Sri Lankan government should conduct independent investigations into violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law during the country’s 30-year civil war.

Of the 47-member UN forum, 25 countries voted in favour, 13 again

The High Commissioner of India met senior Monks of the Maha Sangha today, to address their concerns about the two recent incidents involving assaults on Sri Lankan Buddhist monks in Tamil Nadu, the Indian High Commision in Colombo said.

At the meeting the High Commissioner has underlined that the isolated incidents did not reflect the strong people-to-people bonds that have been an integral part of the close historical, cultural and civilizational ties between the two countries.

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said India would continue to press for an international, independent probe against the neighbouring island country for human rights violation.

Clearing federal government stand, Khurshid in New Delhi said that all parties have collectively decided to move forward to protect India's foreign policy.

The United States says that it expects a credible, independent, domestic probe this year into allegations of human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the media following the adoption of the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, the US Permanent Representative to the Council, Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, expressed these views.

Canadian Senator Hugh D.Segal delivered the guest lecture on The Commonwealth as a Force for Good

The event was held at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies in Colombo.

The Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs said that a special programme has been implemented to safeguard the Sri Lankan pilgrims traveling to India.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs M.K.B.Dissanayake noted that the programme was formulated targeting the most visited pilgrimage sites by Sri Lankans in India.

He also said that the programme was implemented following discussions with the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka.
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