As the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meets in Geneva this month and the High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein prepares his oral report to be presented later in the session, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) appeals to the International Community to remain fully engaged with Sri Lanka to ensure that all aspects of the UNHRC resolution A/HRC/30/1 are faithfully implemented.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions now underway in Geneva gives another opportunity to Sri Lanka to trumpet the progress it is making on transitional justice. However, there is scant evidence of ‘progress’ on the ground because the government has either gone back, or done very little, to make good its pledges. Unless the international community calls Colombo’s bluff, victims of human rights violations cannot look forward either to justice or closure.

US Ambassador Atul Keshap and a US Embassy team recently visited the Hambantota region to meet local officials and business executives.