Ambassador of India responds to Ms Navi Pillay's remarks on Sri Lanka at the UN in Geneva.

(June 05, Geneva, Sri Lanka Guardian) Ambassador Gopinathan Achamkulangare of India, responding yesterday (4.6.2009) to the remarks on Sri Lanka included in the statement of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navi Pillay said, "...it will be prudent to adhere to the outcome of the special session and be sensitive to the concerns expressed already, rather than take a position on contested proposals or controversial issues and ideas, which did not find eventual acceptance in the outcome of the special session."

Full transcript of the Ambassador's statement:

Thank you, Mr. President,

Mr. President, we thank the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Navanethan Pillay for her statement this afternoon that provides useful updates on human rights themes and on situations of particular concern.

We wish to raise a matter of some concern to our delegation with regard to the remarks made by the High Commissioner on Sri Lanka and the recently concluded special session in her statement.

The High Commissioner has welcomed the special session and consequently, we consider it safe to assume that she also accepts its concomitant outcome. The High Commissioner and her office would be fully aware of the discussions and negotiations on the different elements of the outcome, and on the positions adopted by different member states and groupings on these elements.

It is important to recall and reaffirm that the outcome of the special session reflects an inter-governmental decision, adopted according to the rules of procedure of the council. What is more, it endorses the joint communiqué issued at the end of the recent visit to Sri Lanka by the UN secretary General, which among other things, reaffirms the willingness of the government of Sri Lanka to address the issue of accountability in response to the concerns expressed by the UN Secretary General in this regard.

We feel that in these circumstances, it will be prudent to adhere to the outcome of the special session and be sensitive to the concerns expressed already, rather than take a position on contested proposals or controversial issues and ideas, which did not find eventual acceptance in the outcome of the special session.

It would be extremely unfortunate, if the inter-governmental decisions adopted by the human rights council, were to be ignored or set aside, and the High Commissioner and/or her office were to misinterpret them or willfully neglect them, or supersede them according to their convenience or in accordance with the agenda of some states, or unrepresentative or unaccountable organizations, or to pursue their own agenda.

In this regard, we would like to remind all concerned, that the independence of the High Commissioner cannot be presumed to exceed that of the UN Secretary General.

Thank you, Mr. President.
-Sri Lanka Guardian
Unknown said...

Well done Indian Embassador, first Navy Pillai should realise that been a Dravidian she is an interested party in this affair & she should not intermingle in this issue as her independence is subjective.Secondly she should adhere to the outcome of the session comprising 47 countries representing more than 5.0 billion people than her personal egos.If not it is time for UN to replace her desk by a suitable.

jean-pierre said...

Ms. Pillai is a new hand and she is trying to "get some stature" by siding with the strong Western Nations. So India is ignored and India is justly peeved. On the other hand, Sir Jone Holmes is an experienced diplomat, and does not have to do the posturing that Ms. Pillai has to do.

Jayampathy Ranaweera said...

Well said Sir,Ambassador of India highlighting and pinpointing the totally Racially biassed statement of Navi Pillai overstepping her authority ignoring that of Banki Moon,Head of UN.
This proves that Pillai is not suitable to hold the position she holds in UN as her mentality looks that of an illeterate person.

Unknown said...

India is doing inhuman things against the entire Tamils in the world. Everyone knows that Indian Govt. led by Sonya was a partner with the Shinhala regime aligned with genocide Tamils in Sri Lanka and now campaigning against justice. Gandiam was buried when the greet Gandigi was killed. What a shame on India.

Unknown said...

Well said India. Lets join hands together and build a new world.After all the UN too should know where their limits are. I initially wondered why Sri Lankans do not belive in an respectful org. like UN and now I can understand.Theses kinds of UN representatives are disgrace to the organisation. Time to change.

Maha said...

Well said your honour. I have no words to thank you. It appears Pillai doesnt know the policies and doesnt know how to behave as a respectable officer in UN.