Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament yesterday that for the past 16 years, resolutions against Sri Lanka have been passed at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) due to the failure of previous governments to resolve the national question and address human rights concerns locally.
He said successive governments had politicised national and human rights issues for short-term political gain, which ultimately led to the internationalisation of Sri Lanka’s human rights situation.
“By the time this Government took office in 2024, the human rights issue had already been internationalised and made more complex,” Minister Herath noted.
Tracing the history of UNHRC resolutions on Sri Lanka, the Minister explained that both the Human Rights Commission (the predecessor to the current Council) and the Human Rights Council have adopted multiple resolutions on Sri Lanka since the 1980s — including 11 resolutions since 2009 alone.
He said that calling for votes at the Council, as done by previous administrations, was “a futile exercise” that wasted public resources, knowing the outcome would not change.
“Instead of resolving these issues locally and building unity, previous governments engaged in divisive racial and religious politics, further isolating the country internationally,” he added.
Minister Herath pointed out that the 2009 Geneva resolution called for a sustainable national solution to address the grievances of all communities, but this was never implemented. Subsequent resolutions in 2012 and 2013 urged the implementation of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendations, but those, too, were ignored.
“If those recommendations had been implemented through a national mechanism, there would be no Geneva resolutions today,” he observed.
He emphasised that the current Government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, which came to power in October 2024, is committed to eradicating poverty and corruption while building a united, rights-respecting nation.
Engagement with the UNHRC
Minister Herath also briefed Parliament on his recent engagements with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. He said that during the 60th Human Rights Session earlier this year, the Council members took note of Sri Lanka’s domestic initiatives to protect the political and economic rights of all citizens and promote reconciliation.
He highlighted that the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to Sri Lanka in June 2025 — the first such visit in nine years — resulted in positive observations about the country’s progress.
“The High Commissioner commended the genuine openness of the Sri Lankan Government, the progressive change in society, and the steps taken to address issues through domestic mechanisms,” the Minister said, adding that the High Commissioner’s report to the Council in September reflected these positive developments.
Domestic Reforms and Human Rights
Minister Herath reaffirmed that the Government’s goal is to strengthen national institutions and pursue truth and reconciliation through local processes, rather than international mechanisms such as the Sri Lanka Accountability Project established under Resolution 46/1 (2021).
“We have clearly stated that Sri Lanka will not accept non-domestic mechanisms,” he said. “Our aim is to resolve these issues through our own independent processes and institutions.”
He announced several upcoming reforms, including:
- The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, to be presented to Parliament soon.
- The establishment of an independent Public Prosecutor’s Office.
- The repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and introduction of a new law that balances counterterrorism and human rights.
- Amendments to the Security of Online Systems Act to better protect citizens’ rights.
Herath stressed that these initiatives are not intended to “impress Geneva” but arise from the Government’s genuine commitment to human rights and justice for all victims.
“We are not targeting military personnel or any section of the population,” he clarified. “Our responsibility is to protect human rights, ensure the rule of law, build unity, and prevent the recurrence of conflict.”
Geneva Resolution of October 2025
Referring to the resolution on Sri Lanka adopted without a vote on October 6, Herath said the Government decided not to call for a vote, in keeping with its policy against “futile demonstrations.”
He noted that the latest resolution was more balanced than previous ones, as it recognised Sri Lanka’s democratic transformation, economic recovery efforts, anti-corruption measures, and reconciliation initiatives.
However, he reiterated that the Government rejects the continuation of the Sri Lanka Accountability Project, as it remains an external mechanism.
The Minister concluded that Sri Lanka’s domestic approach has earned growing recognition from member states, with 43 countries at the September 8 UNHRC dialogue expressing appreciation for the Government’s steps toward reconciliation and human rights protection.
“Protecting the human rights of our people is not a matter for debate — it is our duty and responsibility as representatives of the people,” he said.
“Our vision is of a peaceful, prosperous, and united Sri Lanka where all citizens can live in freedom and dignity. We are committed to making this dream a reality.”
