Sri Lanka may get more time to show progress on human rights issues, when the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meets in February and March for its 40th session.
A follow-up resolution on Sri Lanka is expected to be submitted to the council, but the European Union (EU) hinted at the possibility of it urging the Council to give Sri Lanka more time.
The EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka Tung-Lai Margue has told The Sunday Morning that there was progress on the part of Sri Lanka in addressing human rights-related issues, although the progress was slow.
He said that the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) which commenced operations is a major achievement by Sri Lanka, while the adoption of the Reparations Bill is also a key step forward.
“I have seen a lot of progress, even though not enough, including land return by the Army,” he said.
The Government earlier insisted that it remained committed to addressing human rights issues in the country.
Minister Lakshman Kiriella said that the international community must understand that it would take time to address human rights issues.
