Resolution on Lanka pursues “political agenda” says the Philippines

• Manila strongly supported GoSL position on UNHRC resolution
• Raises concerns about OHCHR budget for evidence gathering mechanism

The Government of the Philippines strongly support Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday (23) when the resolution brought by a core group of member states led by the UK was taken up for voting at the 46th Session. 

Representative from the Permanent Mission of the Philippines in Geneva Evan Garcia told the Council that the resolution on Sri Lanka pursues a “political agenda” that was “blind to reasons and methods of reasoning.” 

Manila’s representative said the Philippines had actively engaged on negotiations on the draft text of the resolution, and expressed disappointment that the “penholders” of the Sri Lanka resolution did not take Colombo’s perspectives and positions onboard in the final version. “We note that Sri Lanka engaged in the informals in good faith even after the failure of the OHCHR to adhere to high standards of transparency, objectivity and fairness in reporting,” Garcia said. 

The Philippines also raised concerns that implementing the resolution will require a budget of $ 2.8 million, mostly, Garcia said, “for salaries of 12 new hires”.

“Madame President, the rest of the elements of this draft resolution are sketchy and unmoved particularly its vision on a role for OHCHR in collecting evidence and developing strategies for future accountability processes,” Manila’s representative said. 

While recognising that no country has a perfect record in human rights, the Philippines has appreciated that the Government of Sri Lanka has pursued the reconciliation, accountability and human rights through inclusive and domestic processes, despite severe challenges in its resources and post conflict security situation, Garcia noted. 

“Many of us in Geneva are sheltered from the actual experience of terrorism, conflict and socio-economic challenges that are everyday realities to Sri Lanka’s 21 million people. This is a handicap that prevents some council members from being more sober in their judgments about the situation in Sri Lanka and from flexing the powers of the council more wisely,” the delegate from the Philippines emphasised. 

In October 2020, the UNHRC adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in the Philippines, especially in the conduct of President Duterte’s war against drugs. In August 2020, the UN released a damning report concluding that the Philippine government’s policies, particularly about the war on drugs, have resulted in “systematic violations including killings, arbitrary detentions, and vilification of dissent.”