UNHRC chief meets Tamil politico

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) President Laura Dupuy Lasserre on Friday had discussions on Sri Lanka with a Tamil politician, sources in Geneva told the Colombo Gazette.

According to well informed sources the meeting took place outside the UN building in Geneva and was attended by a few UN officials as well.

It was not immediately clear who the Tamil politician was but sources said that it was believed to be either a current or former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member.

The meeting between the Tamil politician and the UNHRC President comes a week ahead of a crucial vote on a U.S sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka.

A Sri Lankan delegation is already in Geneva lobbying against the resolution which seeks the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

The TNA was initially expected to head to Geneva for the UNHRC session but later reversed its decision which drew severe criticism from the Tamil Diaspora.

Meanwhile the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) said it had talks with Norwegian Minister Erik Solheim in Oslo, Norway also on Friday.

GTF Delegates with Erik Solheim

In an email to the media (GTF) said it had formal meetings with Solheim, Leader of the Opposition & Conservative Party Leader Erna Solberg MP and Karin S Woldseth MP of the Progress Party and Member of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Parliamentary Select Committee.

Norway is one of the 47 voting members of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the Norwegian Parliament will also be debating Sri Lanka on 26 March, GTF noted.

Meanwhile a Sri Lankan delegation in Geneva had another briefing with foreign diplomats, human rights representatives and NGOs on the sidelines of the UNHRC session yesterday.

The Sri Lankan delegation included Presidential advisor and parliamentarian professor Rajiva Wijesinghe and head of the Consortium of Humanitarian Agancies (CHA) Jeevan Thiagarajah. (www.colombogazette.com)