WikiLeaks: US On Sri Lanka’s 2008 UPR Strategy At UN

By Colombo Telegraph -October 31, 2012

“Samarasinghe is an important interlocutor, especially in the conext of the Consultative Committee on Humanitaria Access (CCHA), which he chairs. Our recent intractions with him on human rights issues have beenless productive, with Samarasinghe often appearing to be engaged in simple damage control efforts. Defending Sri Lanka’s spotty human rights record is a difficult task, and Samarasinghe in this meeting appeared uncharacteristically nonplussed. The upcoming UPR will constitute a major opportunity for member states to question Sri Lanka on its failure to address human rights concerns. Samarasinghe is well aware of this and is seeking to use this to prod action on the Constitutional Council and perhaps other concerns.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Sri Lanka’s Mahinda Samarasinghe before a special session of the Human Rights Council. Photo by Jean-Marc Ferre/United Nations

A classified diplomatic cable which details a meeting then US Ambassador to Colombo Robert Blake has had with Human Rights Minster Mahinda Samarasinghe on January 25, 2008 The Colombo Telegraph found the related cable from WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “Confidential” signed by Robert Blake on February 11, 2008.

Ambassador Blake wrote ”Ambassador met Human Rights Minster Mahinda Samarasinghe on January 25 to discuss a range of U.S. concerns about Sri Lanka’s human rights situation, including recent incidents. Samarasinghe explained Sri Lanka’s strategy for engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, emphasizing the GSL’s resistance to a separate office for the staff of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), but expressing willingness to accept technical assistance for Sri Lanka’s national Human Rights Commission. Samarasinghe made clear that Sri Lanka was opposed to discussing its human rights performance in a Special Session of the HRC, but was preparing its submission for the Universal Periodic review in mid-May. Samarasinghe appeared at times to be at a loss to account for discrepancies in government accounts of several human rights incidents and recent developments.”

“Minister Samarasinghe told Ambassador and Pol Chief on January 25 that the GSL was engaged in a full-press effort to prepare for the Universal Periodic review (UPR) of Sri Lanka in mid-May 2008. Samarasinghe said Sri Lanka welcomed the opportunity for a discussion of its human rights record “in a controlled atmosphere,” indicating that the GSL would resist any effort to place Sri Lanka on the agenda of a Special Session. Sri Lankan government entities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Human Rights Commission were all working on Sri Lanka’s submission to the UPR, which would be due in March. Samarasinghe said he had exhorted his colleagues to try to make progress on the international community’s concerns between now and May, confiding that he would not be comfortable going into such a review based on the current state of play. ‘I told them they need to give me something to work with.’” Blake further wrote.

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WikiLeaks: “I Haven’t Had An Easy Time With Rajapaksa Brothers” – Mahinda Samarasinghe

Read the cabale below for further details ; SRI LANKA: MINISTER’S STRATEGY FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL