Deputy Minister of External Affairs Hon. Neomal Perera leads the Sri Lanka delegation

in the Solemn Inauguration of His Holiness the Pope Francis I

in the Vatican City on 19th March 2013

Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Hon. Neomal Perera, led the Sri Lanka delegation, which participated at the Solemn Inauguration of His Holiness the Pope Francis I in the Vatican City on 19th March 2013. Hon. Sarath Kumara Gunaratne, Deputy Minister of Aviation and Hon. John Amaratunga, Member of Parliament & Chief Opposition Whip of Parliament also joined him in this delegation.

His Holiness the Pope Francis I, who was elected to succeed Benedict XVI's at last week's conclave, received huge wave of cheers and applause from the large crowd gathered at St. Peter’s Square. Reportedly, there were delegations from 132 governments present, when he made it clear that he intends to protect the world's poor and weak and called on the world's powerful to protect the environment.  Immediately after the inaugural mass, which commenced at 9.30 am, Pope Francis I received the heads of delegations present and devoted few minutes with them to receive their greetings and offer his blessings. 

The Government of Sri Lanka regrets the recent incidents of intimidation of Sri Lankan nationals particularly instances of violent assaults against Buddhist Monks in Thanjavur and at the Central Chennai Railway Station, India.

Ministry of External Affairs has lodged strong protests with the Indian Government through its High Commission in New Delhi and the Deputy High Commission in Chennai over the incidents of assaults on Sri Lankan Buddhist monks in the State of Tamil Nadu.

Sri Lankan Buddhist Monk harassed in Tamil Nadu returns safely to New Delhi

On 16 March 2013, a group of persons had attempted to assault a Buddhist monk, Ven Pathberiye Gnanaloka, while he was on a study tour at the Thanjavur Hindu Temple. Ven Gnanaloka Thero who is pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of India has been studying in India in New Delhi for the past 18 months and has visited several Indian states on study tour. 

Statement at the Adoption of the Report of the UPR Working Group

by

Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe M.P.

Minister of Plantation Industries and

Special Envoy of H.E. the President of Sri Lanka

on Human Rights

Leader of the Sri Lanka Delegation

22nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

Geneva

15 March 2013

Mr President,

My delegation and I join you this morning with a deep sense of satisfaction. November 2012 saw Sri Lanka face its second UPR and we were able to lay before the working group, our progress since 2008 and the expectations for future improvements in the promotion and protection of human rights, going forward. We have come a long way since the initial Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka during the first cycle in 2008. My country then was engaged in a conflict against terrorism – commencing in 2006 – trying to rescue a civilian population held by a ruthless group of terrorists. A year after that first review, we finally achieved success in the humanitarian operation and witnessed the dawn of a new era of peace, stability and prosperity for all Sri Lankans. Since May 2009 we engaged in a period of consolidation, removing military involvement in civil administration, reconstruction, demining, rehabilitation, resettlement and launched our initial efforts at national reconciliation and peace-building.

Investigation into the death of the UK national Mr. Khuram Shaikh on 25 December 2011 and the recent visit of Mr. Simon Danczuk, MP

The attention of the Government of Sri Lanka has been drawn to the media interviews given by Mr. Simon Danczuk, UK MP for Rochdale during his recent visit to Sri Lanka to make inquiries about the progress in the legal proceedings relating to the death of Mr. Khuram Shaikh, a UK national which took place on 25 December 2011 in Tangalle.