Thread by @TamilGuardian

Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has just delivered his address to #HRC46, slamming @UNHumanRights report and urging countries to vote down any resolution on Sri Lanka. Excerpts below.

'[OHCHR] has published a report on Sri Lanka, accompanied by an unprecedented propaganda campaign on that report. Sri Lankan heroic armed forces militarily neutralised the LTTE in 2009 after 3 decades of conflict.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'The Sri Lankan government acted in self defence to safeguard the unitary state, sovereignty and territorial integrity from the world’s most ruthless separatist terrorist organisation.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'Hegemonic forces colluded against Sri Lanka in bringing an unsubstantiated resolution against Sri Lanka which was defeated by the support of friendly nations who remain by Sri Lanka’s side even today.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'Further resolutions were presented to this council on purely political motives. In each instance Sri Lanka presented the procedural improprieties and how such processes could set a dangerous precedent affecting all member states of the UN.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'The govt which assumed office in 2015 joined as co-sponsors of resolution 30/1 which was against our own country. It carried a host of commitments that were not deliverable and were not in conformity with the constitution of Sri Lanka.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'The rejection of this resolution by the people of SL was clear in the mandate received by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Nov 2019. Based on this mandate I announced at #HRC43 that Sri Lanka would withdraw from co-sponsorship of the resolution.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'We provided detailed updates to the OHCHR on the progress of implementation of commitments undertaken such as continuity of existing mechanisms, appointment of Special Commission of Inquiry, achieving SDGs, returning land, de-mining...' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'It is regrettable that despite the spirit of cooperation with HRC and its mechanisms, elements working against Sri Lanka intend to table another country-specific resolution based on the OHCHR report.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'This rejected report by Sri Lanka unjustifiably broadened its scope and mandate further, incorporating many issues of governance and matters that are essentially domestic in any self-respecting sovereign country.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'I leave it to the members and observers of the UNHRC to make their own judgement on whether Sri Lanka represents a situation that warrants the urgent attention of the council or if this campaign is essentially a political move...' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka

'The Council must not go by hearsay, unilateral action or one-angled doubtful resources… I appeal to members of this council to take note of our continued engagement… and support us by rejecting any resolution on Sri Lanka.' Dinesh Gunawardena #HRC46 #lka