UN RESOLUTION: Statement by Nigeria


NIGERIA, Human Rights Council, 19th Session,22 March 2012, Explanation of Nigeria's vote on resolution A/HRC/19/L.2


Madame President,

( March 23, 2012, Geneva, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nigeria and Sri Lanka share several important commonalities and we maintain cordial relations. Nigeria has also been communicating with the leadership of the Government of Sri Lanka at the highest level to delineate common interests and establish better relations. Nigeria has just taken a decision to open a Diplomatic Mission in Colombo as concrete proof of our desire to strengthen our relations with Sri Lanka. Our ties in the Gl 5, the Commonwealth and NAM are also significant.

Madame President,

Our decision to vote today for this draft resolution promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka, therefore does not detract from this sense of solidarity and empathy with Sri Lanka. We are voting in favour of the draft resolution not to censure Sri Lanka or to call her to order, but solely to encourage the process of reconciliation in that country, which deserves to be accelerated and intensified. As a nation, Nigeria would like to recall its own history and experience in post conflict resolution. We fought a civil war between 1967 and 1970. At the end of the war, a policy of "No Victor, No Vanquished" aimed at national reconciliation was declared by the Federal Government and since then, the wounds have healed and rifts have been mended between the two sides. Today, our country is better for it.

We hope that Sri Lanka could benefit from this and would continue to pursue the logic of inclusiveness and opening up of the political space in the country for all of its citizens, including those who were misled into taking up arms against their own nations.

Nigeria stands together with Sri Lanka, and is ready to assist her in the important work of reconciliation and rehabilitation. Nigeria wishes the Government and People of Sri Lanka every success in this regard.

I thank you.