UN Resolution Spurs Hope for Sri Lankan Reconciliation

The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution on Monday aimed at promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka. The resolution passed without a vote and extends the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' mandate in the country for another two years. It also presses the Sri Lankan government to hold backlogged provincial council elections, ensuring they operate effectively as per the thirteenth amendment of the constitution.

Besides pushing for political devolution, the resolution also encourages the government to tackle corruption and economic mismanagement. It calls for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, highlighting its adverse effects on Tamil and Muslim communities, and recommends reforms to the Online Safety Act to better protect freedom of expression.

In a move to address past injustices, the resolution urges the government to reopen cases related to severe rights violations and establish an independent public prosecutorial body. Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva criticized the extension of the OHCHR's external evidence-gathering mechanism, labeling it counterproductive to genuine domestic reconciliation efforts. Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance welcomed the international supervision extension but expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in the past 16 years.

(With inputs from agencies.)