• Marshal Islands and Malawi are the only two non-European or western countries to sign it
• Of these 40 countries, 12 states have voting rights at the UNHRC this time

By Kelum Bandara   

As many as 40 countries, a bulk of them from European region, have become signatories to the resolution to be moved against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council either as co-sponsors and additional co-sponsors, making it an uphill task for the Government to defeat it, Daily Mirror learns.   

The final draft of the resolution has been communicated to the Government. According to the draft which Daily Mirror has seen, Marshal Islands and Malawi are the only two non-European or western countries to sign it. Of these 40 countries, 12 states have voting rights at the UNHRC this time. 

 
The resolution will be put to a vote on March 22 during the session. Sri Lanka has already disapproved the resolution and its content. Earlier, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wrote to the leaders of the member states asking for support to thwart the adoption of any resolution on Sri Lanka.  

Despite Sri Lanka’s reversal of mandatory cremation of Muslim Covid-19 victims, the core group of countries has not excluded the content related to it in the resolution. The Sri Lankan Government views this as a move to block support from the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).   

Among the countries that back Sri Lanka are China, Pakistan, Russia, Cuba, the Philippines and Venezuela.   
The resolution calls for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Council to increase monitoring on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. 

• Despite SL’s reversal of mandatory cremation of Muslim Covid-19  victims, the core group of countries has not excluded the content  related to it