D-Day for Sri Lanka in Geneva

• Vote on resolution today shortly after 9 am Geneva time
• India likely to abstain from voting
• China, Russia, Pakistan to vote against
• However resolution expected to be passed

By Easwaran Rutnam

All eyes will be on Geneva today as a crucial vote on a resolution submitted by the Core Group on Sri Lanka is taken up for a vote.

The vote was to be taken yesterday, but was postponed last Sunday following some scheduling issues.

The vote on resolution A/HRC/46/L.1 is first on the agenda for today when the UN Human Rights Council meets in Geneva.

"The vote on draft resolution A/HRC/46/L.1 will now take place on Tuesday 23 March 2021. As the first resolution to be reviewed the timing should normally be shortly after 09.00 (Geneva time)," an official said.
With the change in schedule, the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, which was to end today, will now end tomorrow.

Sri Lanka has been lobbying for support against the resolution with China, Russia and Pakistan the key countries set to vote against thedocument. However, the resolution is expected to be passed as the Core Group on Sri Lanka, which includes the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany, have mustered enough support for it to pass.
The stand to be taken by India during the vote will be key, but sources said that India is likely to abstain from voting.

• With the change in schedule, the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, which was to end today, will now end tomorrow

The resolution requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to enhance its monitoring and reporting on the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka, including on progress in reconciliation and accountability, and to present an oral update to the Human Rights Council at its forty-eighth session, as well as a written update at its forty-ninth session, and a comprehensive report that includes further options for advancing accountability, at its fifty-first session, both to be discussed in the context of an interactive dialogue.

The resolution also encourages the Office of the High Commissioner and relevant special procedure mandate holders to provide, in consultation with and with the concurrence of the Government of Sri Lanka, advice and technical assistance on implementing the above-mentioned steps.