President to attend UNHRC sessions in September

President Maithripala Sirisena will attend the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva, this September.

President Sirisena, according to top sources spoke of his intention to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, when the latter telephoned him to congratulate the leader on pursuing a democracy agenda.

At present, there is no mechanism in place, with the exception of the Maxwell Paranagama Commission which exclusively probes disappearances.

It is learnt that the government would take measures to set up the mechanism and make it functional by September, when a delayed initial report on Sri Lanka’s alleged war crimes will be tabled.

It is also learnt that the President had indicated to the UN Secretary General that September would also see a new government in office.

Meanwhile, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris, a frontliner in the SLFP-led united Peoples’ Freedom Alliance(UPFA) has critiqued the government for making references to obtaining foreign assistance to conduct the domestic inquiry into alleged war crimes charges though the exact nature of the assistance has never been disclosed. He told foreign correspondents in Colombo on Friday (5), the “government’s course of action was not very clear.”