Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena speaks during a press conference in Colombo on March 23, 2021. (ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFP)
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka has slammed Western countries over a resolution made regarding the South Asian country at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), local media reported here Wednesday.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the resolution, submitted by the Core Group on Sri Lanka and co-sponsored by a number of Western countries, was uncalled for as the world should presently be concentrating on controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccinating citizens across the globe, not targeting others with dangerous intentions.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the resolution was uncalled for as the world should presently be concentrating on controlling the COVID-19 pandemic
"We should defeat the virus first," Gunawardena said.
The resolution calls for accountability over incidents related to the country's 30-year civil conflict between the government forces and the Tamil Tiger rebels who were militarily defeated in May 2009.
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The resolution was passed at the UNHRC with 22 countries voting in favor, 11 countries against, and 14 abstaining.
"This resolution on Sri Lanka was moved by Britain and supported by the Western powers who want to dominate the global south," he said, noting that the resolution was an attempt by Western countries to bully countries such as Sri Lanka.
The minister said the government would not implement any of the draft proposals of the resolution. Instead, they would continue with a domestic inquiry into allegations of human rights violations.
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