US RESOLUTION: Statement by Uganda

Explanation of vote by Uganda | Statement by Rossette Nyirinkindi Katungye, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uganda, to the United Nations Office in Geneva. Geneva, 22 March 2012

Madam President,

( March 23, 2012, Geneva, Sri Lanka Guardian) Bearing in mind the outcome of the Special Session of the Human Rights Council in May 2009 (A/HRC/S-11/2) concerning Sri Lanka, which called upon the international community to cooperate with the Government of Sri Lanka in its endeavours towards overcoming the challenges posed in the aftermath of the long drawn out conflict, we
wish to note the following;

Uganda welcomes the speedy publication of the LLRC report by the Government of Sri Lankaj progress made in implementing its recommendations and the Government's commitment towards reconciliation. We also welcome Sri Lanka's continuous open engagement with the international community and with the Human Rights Council in particular.

The draft Resolution, as presented, casts doubt on Sri Lanka’s willingness to implement the recommendations of a domestic mechanism. It also denied a reasonable time to be accorded for those recommendations to be implemented.

Hence, the intentions of the government in question would be prejudged, deliberated and concluded upon by the Human Rights Council even before such government had the opportunity to demonstrate its willingness and capability to comply with the recommendations of a domestic mechanism.

Moreover, Madam President, it is a cardinal principle of International Law that domestic remedies must be exhausted before invoking intervention by external mechanisms.

Finally, Uganda believes that the Government of Sri Lanka has demonstrated its commitment and capability to engage constructively with the Human Rights Council, its Membership and other States, in addition to as the record reflects continuing engagement with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and special procedure.

Uganda also believes that special consideration should be given to transitional countries emerging from war especially if they demonstrate a clear intention with a road-map or an action plan to address post-conflict challenges and recommendations as well as accountability. 

We therefore are going to vote against resolution- A/HRC/19/L.2 - orally amended.
Thank you.