Sri Lanka's International lobby - unprofessional and undiplomatic!
TCHR
Dismayed by this deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the International community wanted to bring Sri Lanka under international scrutiny. Below we give a few examples, of how the Sri Lankan government blocked every action of the International community and every step towards a negotiated settlement in Sri Lanka.
(1) Last October, the European Union tabled a draft resolution to the UN Human Rights Council. But until today it has never been discussed in the council. Presently the violations have increased by five times since last October. Due to Sri Lanka's hard lobbying, the draft resolution has been left aside.
(2) Last year, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, requested Sri Lanka to accept an 'International human rights monitoring body' on the island. This proposal was strongly supported by many countries, INGOs and members of civil society. However Sri Lanka obdurately rejected this idea.
(3) Preventing the Norwegian peace facilitators from travelling to Killinochchi to meet with the partners to the present Ceasefire Agreement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ? LTTE,
(4) Stopping of aid workers and the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (Cease-fire monitors) from travelling between the LTTE controlled areas and the Government areas; refusing to open the only supply route, A9 road to Jaffna (contrary to the agreements made in the Geneva negotiations) ; and withdrawal of the Red Cross from the checkpoints between the LTTE controlled areas and the Government areas.