Is Sri Lanka fatigue setting in? Geneva HRC meeting ends on a flat note

September 24, 2011, 5:26 pm 

By Kumar David

There was anticipation, and on the side of the government trepidation, that the Human Rights Council gathering in Geneva in mid-September would produce some fireworks. The outcome so far has been tame (writing on 20 September) though not without moments of theatre – for example HRC Commissioner Navi Pillay’s opening remarks that, "For three decades, not only has that country (Sri Lanka) suffered the brutal effects of terrorist acts, but the response of successive governments over the years has undermined independent institutions, human rights and the rule of law". However, the event that will have longer term significance is UNSG Ban Ki Moon forwarding the Darusman Report to the HR Commission, which means that every country on the Council is now formally in possession of the report. Of course the report is widely available on the Web and probably sits on the desk of the foreign service of every country, but Ban’s action has formalised the matter. This could facilitate the intentions of those interested in bringing it to the Security Council, the General Assembly, or a war crimes investigation, at a later date.         

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