Resolution on SL to be taken up at UNHRC on March 22

• East- West divide on world’s stage over SL case

By Kelum Bandara  

The resolution on Sri Lanka will be taken up at the United Nations Human Rights Council next Monday with a vote expected the same day or the following day, Daily Mirror learns.   

Tuesday was the deadline for the incorporation of any amendment to the resolution to be moved by the core group of countries led by the United Kingdom. The other countries in the core group are Canada, Germany, Malawi, Macedonia and Montenegro.   

Besides, there are around 40 countries that have signed the resolution as co-sponsors or additional co-sponsors. Most of these countries are from the western world.   Besides, the countries that have pledged support to Sri Lanka are from outside the west making Sri Lanka’s case looks like a division between the east and the west.   

In South Asia, Pakistan has been the open supporter of the Sri Lankan government in countering this resolution. The resolution calls for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to report on Sri Lanka regarding the human rights situation.   

Diplomatic sources said Sri Lanka is under pressure from the Australia-India-Japan-United States alliance called ‘Quad’. It has been formed with the primary intention of containing China whose influence is growing in the world.   A source said pressure is exerted on Sri Lanka through various tools to take a line in favour of the Free and Open Indo-pacific policy followed by Quad.   

The leaders of the Australia-India-Japan-United States Quad met on March 12 in a virtual summit.