In a pre-UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session briefing, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Hon. Vijitha Herath requested the international community to provide the government with “more time and space” to address issues related to the reconciliation process and alleged wartime rights violations. The briefing, held at the Ministry yesterday (September 2, 2025), was attended by Colombo-based diplomatic corps.
Minister Herath’s request comes as the UNHRC prepares for its 60th session on September 8, where a new resolution on Sri Lanka is expected to be moved by a UK-led core group. Sources indicate preliminary discussions on the resolution have already taken place, but a final text is not yet available.
Senior officials from key reconciliation bodies, including the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), Office for Reparations (OR), and Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), were present at the briefing, underscoring the government’s commitment to domestic mechanisms. The Minister reportedly highlighted the progress made by the government during its 11 months in office.
Despite the appeal for more time, the Sri Lankan government maintains its stance on rejecting the UNHRC resolutions. Both the previous government and the current administration rejected the resolutions on Sri Lanka.
The briefing also took place ahead of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to the UN in New York, where he is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 24. He will then travel to Tokyo for an official visit.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who visited Sri Lanka earlier this year, is expected to submit his report during the upcoming UNHRC session.
