Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Statement in Sinhala (PDF)

Statement in Tamil (PDF)

Statement by

Hon. Tilak Marapana, PC., MP

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka

Agenda item 2

37^th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

Geneva, 21 March 2018

Mr. President,

Madam Deputy High Commissioner,

Distinguished Delegates, 

It is an honour for me to be here today at the 37^th Session of the UN Human Rights Council representing the Government of Sri Lanka. 

I am joined today by my Cabinet colleagues, the Minister of Special Assignments, Hon. (Dr) Sarath Amunugama, and the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Hon. Faiszer Musthapha. My colleagues and I represent the two main political parties that form the coalition government. We are here before this Council together in unison, to speak with one voice, demonstrating the Government’s firm commitment to the advancement of reconciliation, the rule of law, good governance, human rights, justice, equality, and dignity for all our citizens, based on the 100 Day Programme on which President Maithripala Sirisena was elected in January 2015. 

Read more: Statement by Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana at 37th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, 21 March 2018

Press interview titled "OMP  is for reconciliation,   not  to  satisfy  anyone  else", given by Mr.  Saliya  Pieris  P.C., Chairman  of the  Office of Missing  Persons  (OMP),   which  was published  in the Daily Mirror  of 20 March  2018.

Please click  here for the Press interview .....

Please find attached hereto a press release issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau with regard to the current situation in Sri Lanka with the Kandy District having returned to normalcy.

Read More .......

A preliminary discussion was convened by the Prime Minister to focus on the legal measures taken against the offenders of the Kandy riots. The discussion was held yesterday at Temple Trees with the participation of ministers, high ranking officials and representatives of the Muslim community. They discussed the prevention of communal riots in the future as well.

Read more: PM Holds Discussion at Temple Trees on Kandy Violence

President Maithripala Sirisena says some are working according to their personal agendas to gain political power and they are not interested in strengthening the peace and reconciliation or in solving the issues of the country.

Read more: President requested all leaders to love the motherland

The state of emergency declared on March 06, 2018 according to the instructions given by President Maithripala Sirisena has been lifted. President Sirisena after returning to the country following a successful state visit to Japan signed the Gazette notification to lift the state of emergency with immediate effect from midnight yesterday.

Read more: Emergency lifted

President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka to remove the temporary restriction to access the social media site Facebook with immediate effect.

Read more: Restriction to access Social Media removed on the instructions of President