Pressure Faced by Previous Governments at the UN Does Not Apply to Us; Cabinet Spokesman

10-Sep-2025

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The pressures faced by previous governments during sessions of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) do not apply to the present government. The international community has accepted Sri Lanka’s human rights initiatives, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated.

At the press conference at the Government Information Department, Colombo, on September 9, he further said:

Provincial Council elections will be held at the appropriate time, but the timeframe cannot be specified now as legal amendments are required. The government expects to conduct elections at the earliest available opportunity.

In the past, when UNHRC sessions began in Geneva in September, governments came under heavy pressure. But our government has not faced such pressure. The report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, following his visit in June, was also favorable to us.

Sri Lanka has received international recognition for human rights, reconciliation, and democracy. Within a short time, we have taken steps to promote reconciliation and safeguard human rights. The independence and credibility of our judicial system have been affirmed on many occasions.

Therefore, we believe issues related to human rights violations can be resolved within a national framework. We also acknowledge international assessments in this regard. We do not want ongoing investigations to be derailed by unnecessary interference. Neither will we allow extremist or fundamentalist groups to resurface.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will be repealed, and a new law introduced. Amendments to the Public Security Ordinance are also underway. These points were clearly stated during the UNHRC sessions, he said.