SL aims to close Resolution 30/1 after withdrawing from co-sponsorship

Sri Lanka will categorically outline the flaws of the Resolution 30/1 which the previous government had co- sponsored at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and will look to completely close it after withdrawing from its co-sponsorship, a government source told Daily Mirror yesterday.

The source said that the decision to co-sponsor the resolution was taken by the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera without consulting the cabinet, the then President Maithripala Sirisena and Parliament, but it contained clauses which were detrimental to the country.

"The constitution and legal system of Sri Lanka has no place for some of the mechanisms that the then government had committed itself to. It ran into popular opposition. It was because of the lack of mandate that 30/1 of 2015 could not be implemented in the last five years,” the top source explained.

"The government will now seek a closure of the resolution," the source added.

Sri Lanka has decided to withdraw from co-sponsoring Resolution 30/1 after consultations were held between the ministers and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday morning.

Daily Mirror further learns that President Rajapaksa, had informed the cabinet that several clauses in the resolution were against Sri Lanka's constitution and would be detrimental to the country.

He had informed the cabinet to immediately withdraw from co-sponsoring it and to inform the UN.

It had been reported that the Foreign Affairs Minister would officially inform the decision to the UNHRC office in Geneva next week. Prior to that, it is to be presented before the Cabinet and Parliament. (JAMILA HUSAIN)