The head of the Sri Lankan delegation, President's Special Envoy for Human Rights, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe says several member states of the UNHRC have expressed their support for Sri Lanka to repel the resolution backed by the United States, Norway and other Western European countries. The resolution is brought to press Sri Lankan government to promptly implement the recommendations made by the domestic panel, Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), and address the accountability for the war crimes allegedly occurred during the final phase of the battle with the Tamil Tiger terrorists. Sri Lanka says the government is taking measures to implement the LLRC recommendations methodically and it needs time and space to work towards reconciliation without interference from the international community. Minister Samarasinghe has said that the delegation had held discussions with the member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) in Geneva, and received assurance of their support. "The non-aligned countries and the 53 member Islamic nations group have already spoken in our favour," the Minister has told media. At the Friday session of the UNHRC, the OIC commended the continued commitment of the Sri Lankan government to reconciliation through the establishment of its domestic reconciliation mechanism. "We strongly believe that Sri Lanka must be provided with the time and space required to continue with its genuine national endeavours towards achieving this objective, without external pressure," Pakistan said on behalf of OIC. China and Russia, two powerful member states of the Council have also backed Sri Lanka stressing that Sri Lanka should be allowed time and space to continue its reconciliation efforts without the interference form the Western nations. "China appreciates the commitment of the government of Sri Lanka to the process of national reconciliation. China is of the view that Sri Lanka should be given time and space to bring the process of national reconciliation, free from external pressure. Any assistance from the international community should be provided only with consent," UNHRC member China told the Council Friday. Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN mission in Geneva, Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam yesterday apprised the Council of the measures Sri Lanka has taken to implement the LLRC recommendations. She said the government has made significant progress in implementing the LLRC recommendations, and pointed out to the Council that nearly 95 percent of 290,000 displaced has been resettled, and all but one detention center were closed and over 10,000 ex-combatants have been reintegrated into the society. With regard to accountability, Ms. Kunanayakam said the Sri Lanka Army and the Navy have appointed two Courts of Inquiry and a Board of Inquiry. She stressed that the majority of the international community supports Sri Lanka's efforts and its stand that a functioning domestic mechanism should not be circumvented by interference until its conclusion.
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