"The Office of the High
Commissioner for human rights cannot be the new equivalent of an East-India
company."
Full text of the speech made
by H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, during the debate under
Item 4 on Human Rights situations that require the attention of the
Human Rights Council, held at Palais des Nations, Geneva on 24th September
2007
Mr. President, thank you,
I was struck by the expressions of concern about the situation in Sri
Lanka by our friends, mainly from the EU which doubtless will be followed
by others. It is not the view of Sri Lanka that Sri Lankan matters are
exclusively for Sri Lankans alone. There is a common humanity which
transcends even those vital notions of popular and national sovereignty.
So we do not rule out of court any and all expressions of concern about
our situation. However, Mr. President, I must strike several cautionary
notes.
Human Rights, Mr. President, are and must not be regarded as a new
version of the White Man's Burden. There is far too much naming and
shaming going on and its flowing only in one direction.
North to South, West to East; a handful of rich and powerful towards
the rest of the impoverished. Now that is not in keeping with the spirit
of universality and the Human Rights Council. We do not think that any
group of countries or any country in particular has some special sensitivity,
some special cultivated sensibility concerning human rights; some historic
vocation, a civilising mission to defend human rights in our parts of
the world. When I listen to my critics, Mr. President, neither my understanding
of history, modern history, nor current history, leads me to share any
view of moral asymmetry between Sri Lanka and those critics.
We in Sri Lanka are trying to re-unify our little island nation. The
Sri Lankan government cares no less for its citizens than those well-intentioned
critics do. We all live together in a little island, Mr. President.
It's a densely populated island and we do have to care for each other.
Sri Lanka being a practising democracy, our citizens are also, and have
always been enfranchised. They are also voters. Our government cares
for its people as citizens, as individuals and as voters. It would be
stretching the imagination to think that others would care for us more
than we care for ourselves. We, Mr. President, did not spawn fascism
on our soil. We did not have concentration camps on our soil, and we
did not set out to conquer the world. We are only trying to defend and
re-unify our country.
I heard a criticism of the Sri Lankan government's position, and an
endorsement of the critique of the IIGEP. It is a novel experiment Mr.
President, in the middle of a conflict, we have invited international
observers to help our Commission of Inquiry and to act as observers
with an oversight capacity. There are doubtless asymmetries and misunderstandings.
But we would also in the same spirit as our critics ask whether an international
commission of inquiry had been appointed to find out what happened that
night in Stammheim prison, when Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhoff and
many others were found hanging in their cells. We Mr. President, do
not believe in neutrality. We did not adopt a posture of neutrality
between fascism and democracy, in order to build up our prosperity.
We do not need lectures from those who did.
We shall discuss with High Commissioner Louise Arbour when she visits
Sri Lanka about how national institutions can be strengthened with the
cooperation of the High Commission. Whether or not to establish a field
presence, is a matter for Sri Lanka. The Office of the High Commissioner,
Mr. President, cannot be the new equivalent of an East-India company.
That, Sri Lanka shall not subscribe to. Thank you.
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