The Sri Lankan resolution that opposed foreign interference in the internal affairs of a country, which was expanded from 17 to 29 paragraphs to make it a consensual resolution, was adopted with a clear majority of members of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last night (27).

The Council had earlier abandoned a resolution presented by 17-members, mainly of the European Union, and other western influenced nations that called for the Special Session on the Humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka, seeking an investigation into possible war crimes in Sri Lanka's recently concluded war on terrorism.

The amended Sri Lankan resolution was carried with 29 nations voting for, 12 against and 6 abstentions. Among those who abstained were the Republic of Korea and Mauritius who had been among the 17 members that originally called for the Special Session.
A move by Germany, on behalf of the European Union, to have nine more amendments that suited the agenda of Western and pro-western nations that called for the special session, could not be moved following a procedural objection raised by Cuba.

The consensual resolution presented by Sri Lanka was titled “Assistance to Sri Lanka in the promotion and protection of human rights”.

Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe who led the Sri Lanka delegation to the Special Session has said “This is a clear message that the international community is behind Sri Lanka in its endeavour to rebuild the nation to provide our citizens with equal opportunities.”

He said the vote was a great victory for the country with the genuine representatives of the international community endorsing Sri Lanka’s open and transparent position, especially its historic and epic hostage rescue operation, and Lanka’s open and transparent stance and its willingness to engage in dialogue to resolve allegations of human rights abuse. This was also an endorsement of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s handling of the threat to Sri Lanka and the South Asian region by the forces of terror, and the steps he is initiating to resolve the issues prevailing in Sri Lanka, he said.

The other membe4trs of the Sri Lankan delegation were the Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe, the Attorney General Mohan Peiris and Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka.

Commenting of the outcome of the Special Session Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka said it was “the best synthesis of the sentiments of the Human Rights Council”.

The following countries voted for the consensual resolution presented by Sri Lanka:

India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Malaysia, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameron, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Uruguay, Zambia, Qatar, South Africa, , Senegal, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria

Those who voted against it were: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK and Zambia

The abstentions were: Argentina, Gabon, Japan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and Ukraine.

The Special Session on Sri Lanka saw a strong alliance among the Afro-Asian countries, as well as the Non- Aligned Movement, against the European Union group led by former colonial powers as well as countries that are under the strong influence of the economic and political centres of the West.