• Time till Friday to respond
• The proposed piece of legislation to revise the Prevention of Terrorism Act cited as an example
• Sri Lanka braced to defend its position with the backing of like-minded countries

By Kelum Bandara 

The Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet will avail the Sri Lankan government a copy of the draft of the report on Sri Lanka’s situation today, giving it time till Friday to respond, an official said.   

The UNHRC adopted a resolution in March, last year mandating High Commissioner Bachelet to collect evidence of alleged crimes committed in Sri Lanka during the war that ended in May, 2009. She is expected to make a written update at its forty-ninth session scheduled to begin later this month.   

Foreign Secretary Prof. Jayanath Colombage told Daily Mirror the Ministry would formally receive a draft of it today.  

“We have time until next Friday to prepare the response,” he said.   

He added that Sri Lanka would brace for defending its position with the backing of like-minded countries. Prof. Colombage expressed optimism that the battle would not be that harsh this time since Sri Lanka, as a country, took concrete steps to improve the human rights situation. He cited the proposed piece of legislation to revise the Prevention of Terrorism Act as an example in this regard.  

However, the European Union, the main force behind the resolution on Sri Lanka, has picked holes in the new piece of legislation which is now before Parliament.   

• The European Union, the main force behind the resolution on Sri Lanka, has picked holes in the new piece of legislation which is now before Parliament