YouSaid · the spoken record

Perera

lines on the record: 112
first: 2015-07-23
most recent: 2019-02-05
sittings or episodes: 14
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In conclusion, we need to encourage greater dialogue and cooperation among all States in assessing the security imperatives, threats, vulnerabilities and responsibilities given the increase in undersea cables on the seabed. As a State strategically located in the Indian Ocean, much of the digital connectivity between the East and the West traverses over the seabed adjacent to Sri Lanka. We therefore call for immediate international action in seeking urgent measures to address that new and imminent threat.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“Sri Lanka therefore fully endorses the recommendations put forward by UNODC to address that new threat in order to support all States, namely, classifying submarine cables as critical communications infrastructure and/or critical national infrastructure, developing a national action plan for resilience in addressing the protection of submarine cables, enhancing the legal treatment of submarine cables in line with public international law and encouraging States to designate a lead agency on the protection of submarine cables. To that end, Sri Lanka encourages the exploration of mutual assistance at the international and regional levels for resilience in the face of interference with submarine cables and the harmonization of laws on the protection of submarine cables, including cooperative law enforcement initiatives for their protection.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“Consequent to that General Assembly resolution, last week the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme held an event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for legal experts, which was followed by a high-level ministerial meeting on the existing legal regime governing fibre-optic submarine cables. In a world that is now heavily reliant on connectivity for everything, from military operations and flight reservations to basic navigation, a damaged or destroyed cable can have a tremendous impact on all aspects of life. Some examples of the vulnerability of those cables and how all States are reliant on submarine cables were highlighted at the meeting in Colombo.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“Internet connectivity is inextricably linked to the economies of most countries, and the seabed is fast becoming a tangle of ungoverned undersea cables. That aspect presents a new threat to international peace and security. Although the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea deals with submarine cables and provides a basic framework, nevertheless, new threats have emerged since then. In recognition of that, on 11 December 2018, through resolution 73/124, on oceans and the law of the sea, which Sri Lanka co-sponsored together with a large number of other States, the General Assembly addressed the issue of fibre-optic submarine cables and their susceptibility to intentional and/or accidental damage.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“In that context, it is also relevant to mention that in October last year Sri Lanka organized an international conference entitled "The Indian Ocean - Defining our Future", where Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe addressed two core issues related to the Indian Ocean, namely, freedom of navigation and freedom of digital connectivity. While the former is absolutely vital, the safeguarding of the freedom of digital connectivity is of equal importance, especially given the rapid increase in technology and the fact that the presence of undersea cables has grown exponentially in the past few decades. It is known that more than 80 per cent of Internet traffic is transferred using undersea cables.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“In 1973, we chaired the historic third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, which led to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - a comprehensive constitution for the oceans. For those reasons, and recognizing the unique nature of the high seas, which fall outside the jurisdictional domain of a single State, Sri Lanka calls most emphatically for concerted and collective international cooperative measures to provide the requisite regulatory framework to counter such threats. Given the nature of the current challenges, such crimes must not be allowed to fall into an area where there is a legal vacuum.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“In addition, UNODC has highlighted a range of new threats and crimes, including intentional damage to fibre-optic submarine cables, and legal issues arising from floating armouries, among several others. Littoral States such as Sri Lanka are at the forefront of the fight against drug trafficking through maritime routes. The use of the Indian Ocean as a major drug trafficking highway poses a threat to maritime security and maritime law enforcement. One of the major challenges is the lack of a legal conclusion, such as prosecution, for the majority of drug seizures made within international waters in the Indian Ocean region. Sri Lanka has historically been a champion of a rules-based order for the maritime domain.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“Therefore, ensuring security and stability and maintaining freedom of navigation in the sea lanes of communication of the Indian Ocean are of vital concern to Sri Lanka and of importance not only to the global economy but also to global security. Increased mobility at sea and heavy traffic open up opportunities for drug trafficking, the illegal arms trade, migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, among others. Furthermore, it can give rise to a plethora of corrupt practices, including illegal and unreported fishing, bottom trawling, environmental degradation and the destruction of coastal infrastructure. For Sri Lanka, with its existence so inextricably linked to the ocean and its resources, the impact of such actions would be enormously detrimental to our very survival.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“President, your country, along with Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, the Netherlands, the United States and UNODC, hosted and which provided an excellent forum to highlight the emerging threats posed by maritime crime. As an island nation strategically located in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is well aware ofthe importance of creating a maritime order that can withstand the emerging threats from transnational criminal acts. With its sea lanes serving as major arteries of East- West trade, the Indian Ocean carries approximately half the world's container shipping and about two thirds of its oil shipments. Heavy tanker traffic between the Middle East and the Far East passes in close proximity to the southern coast of Sri Lanka.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“Let me begin by congratulating Equatorial Guinea on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month and for organizing this debate on one of the most immediate threats to international peace and security - transnational organized crime at sea. We also thank Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Mrs. Ukonga, Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, for their informative briefings earlier this morning. In June last year, Sri Lanka was pleased to participate at the ministerial level in the successful Arria formula meeting on maritime crime as a threat to international peace and security, which, Mr.”
2019-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8457 (2019) · source
“If those principles are not adhered to, in the worst case it may create grievances and increase the risk of conflict, while in the best case Government action can be a springboard to build peace and increase resilience. In that context, the recent work accomplished by the International Law Commission on the topic of the protection of persons in the event of disasters reflects the careful balance that must be struck in recognizing the primary role of the affected State in providing disaster relief assistance to its people and, at the same time, in underlining the value of international solidarity and cooperation in providing disaster relief to an affected State as a genuine humanitarian measure.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“The principle of impartiality is of particular importance to ensure that those providing disaster relief carry out their activities with the sole aim of responding to the disaster in accordance with humanitarian principles, and not for the purpose of interfering in the domestic affairs of an affected State. Against that background, it is essential to keep in mind that international cooperation must not diminish the primary role of the affected State in the direction, control, coordination and supervision of relief assistance. International cooperation must always be complementary to the overriding duty of the affected State to persons within its jurisdiction.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“As to the international response to extreme weather events and disasters, the way in which Governments and the international community respond to natural disasters could increase or mitigate the risk of conflict. The need to respect inherent human dignity and the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and non-discrimination in providing disaster relief embodies the underpinning of third-State conduct regarding a natural disaster that takes place in another State. A departure from those principles could lead to international tension and possible threats to international peace and security.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Environmental degradation, together with political, economic and social insecurity, is also one of the main drivers of migration and refugee movements. That phenomenon has caused panic, leading some States to double down on anti-immigrant rhetoric and resort to sealing off borders, exacerbating international tensions. With regard to local competition over resources, according to media reports, global warming claims approximately 400,000 lives each year worldwide - many due to extreme weather events, but most due to climate change-induced hunger and disease. Natural resource competition and food shortages can contribute to regional instability or civil conflicts.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Indeed, we stand behind every significant international environmental agreement. It is our hope that the collective interests embodied in those instruments will be the basis for global consensus on climate change and its global impact. The nexus between climate change and international peace and security becomes evident in several areas. Among them is the multiplication of threats. Climate change multiplies threats, as it creates a scarcity of some of the most essential natural resources. If resilience is low, then communities may be internally displaced, increasing exploitation by extremist elements. The added tension of competition over diminishing natural resources could add fuel to existing conflicts. With regard to increasing migration, refugee movements and internal shifts in population.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Only a global vision implemented through commitment and multilateral cooperation, in keeping with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the national unity of States, will halt the degradation of this planet and the resulting threat to peace and security. Therefore, solidarity in international relations is Vital, not only in addressing this issue at all levels and stages - from prevention to post-disaster management - but also in providing disaster relief, both in the long and short term. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals, among other instruments, constitute the fundamental normative framework for systematically addressing climate change. Sri Lanka continues to strongly endorse the Paris Agreement.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“More frequent flooding and the risk of the loss of territory to the sea increase the prevalence of displacement, migration and social unrest. Island nations like Sri Lanka are particularly vulnerable to the impact of ocean environments and climate change. In the past decade or so, Sri Lanka has been devastated by nature-driven tragedies such as floods, landslides, the massive tsunami of 2004 and other disasters. For Sri Lanka the ocean and its resources are inextricably interwoven with the lives of our people. The Indian Ocean, in which we are located, provides employment, food and avenues of trade and commerce. Our large coastal communities survive at the ocean level. For us the rise of the seas, the pollution of the oceans, the depletion of fish and good coastal ecosystems are not abstractions, they are the core of our existence.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Allow me to congratulate the Dominican Republic, not only on assuming the presidency of the Council for this month but also for convening this open debate on one of the most pressing issues of our time - climate change. As an island nation severely impacted upon by natural disasters, Sri Lanka understands the challenges faced by all nations affected by climate change. We also thank all of the briefers for their valuable contributions here this morning. The World Meteorological Organization has observed that the past three to four years were the warmest on record. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere continue to rise, increasing the risk of heat waves, floods, droughts and wild fires. Rising sea levels and coastal degradation threaten the viability of lives and livelihoods in low-lying areas.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Finally, for more than five decades, Sri Lanka has been making modest contributions to United Nations peacekeeping efforts. We are equally committed to the inclusion of our highly trained and disciplined female forces in peacekeeping efforts. As Sri Lanka proceeds with its reconciliation and peacebuilding process, with the active participation of women at all levels, we will continue to share our experiences and practices, especially in relation to the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Unfortunately, politics has become an inhospitable environment for women, and my Government is committed to fighting the root causes and institutional biases that prevent women from becoming fully empowered in their chosen fields. Sri Lanka has demonstrated its wholehearted commitment to the elimination of sexual exploitation and abuse. It was one of the first countries to sign the Secretary-General's voluntary compact on eliminating sexual exploitation and abuse. The President of Sri Lanka has joined the Secretary-General's circle of leadership on the prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse in United Nations operations, and we have made contributions to the Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“In that regard, the Government has allocated a quota of 25 per cent of posts for women in local Government bodies. The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has also set aside at least 25 per cent of budgetary allocations for projects for rural economic development for women's economic enhancement. Sri Lanka is also working to reserve a minimum of 25 per cent of the representation in Parliament for women in the near future. In that regard, however, we are ever mindful of the challenges that women face when entering politics and the toxic atmosphere they encounter. Compared to men, they experience disproportionate personal scrutiny, discrimination, character assassination, violence and defamatory statements.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“One of the key target groups in our empowerment programmes is female-headed households, including war widows. A national secretariat for widows and households headed by women has been established in former conflict areas in order to serve target groups better. Sri Lanka has addressed the issue of violence against women using three approaches - prevention, intervention and advocacy for the formulation of policies and laws. A toll-free help line has been established in the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs to receive complaints and provide redress to victims through referral services. Sri Lanka also launched a national action plan for human rights for the period from 2017 to 2021, which reiterates the need to achieve substantive equality, particularly in the economic, political and cultural spheres.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Our Government is focused on three priority areas of women's empowerment - economic enhancement and financial identity, the elimination of violence against women and engagement in public and political life. The mechanisms and processes for achieving national unity and reconciliation are being conducted under the overall guidance of our office of national unity and reconciliation. Sri Lanka is also in the process ofimplementing peacebuilding projects, which involve joint programming with the United Nations Development Programme - along with agencies such as UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Health Organization and UN-Women - to implement the joint United Nations programme on preventing and responding to gender-based violence in Sri Lanka, funded by UN-Women.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“For Sri Lanka, sustaining peace through women's political and economic empowerment - a subject that the Bolivian presidency has so carefully chosen for our debate today - is very close to our hearts. Sri Lanka is now in a post-conflict era, traversing a path of reconciliation and justice. Never has the political and economic empowerment of women been more vital to our peace and prosperity than it is today. The protracted and brutal armed conflict in Sri Lanka left 24 per cent of our female population widowed. Sri Lanka is aware that the protection and economic, social and infrastructural needs of women affected by war continue to require our attention. To that end, we have found it crucial to incorporate gender into our transitional justice process, as stipulated in resolution 1325 (2000).”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Those positive policies, implemented over the years, have resulted in gender parity in education. The right to a free education is enshrined in the Sri Lankan Constitution, which also mandates compulsory schooling between the ages of five and 14. More than 60 per cent of university undergraduates are women. At the primary level, female school attendance is essentially universal, while it stands at 99 per cent for boys. Free health care was introduced very early after Sri Lanka gained its independence in 1948. Sri Lanka adopted a women's charter two years before the Beijing Platform for Action, and we already have in place a national plan of action for women.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Sri Lanka has identified gender equality and women's empowerment as a priority area and is party to numerous relevant international conventions and declarations, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. My Government is currently working to achieve gender equality by enacting gender-sensitive laws and formulating related policies and action plans. Gender equality has been addressed through our Constitution's chapter on fundamental rights and by meeting treaty obligations, as well as by achieving the gender indicators in the Sustainable Development Goals. Sri Lanka was one of the first countries in Asia to grant a universal adult franchise in 1931. Following that, we enacted laws in 1939 and 1945 to ensure free education for all at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“I congratulate the Plurinational State of Bolivia on its presidency of the Security Council and thank it for organizing today's open debate. I thank the Secretary-General and other briefers for their remarks and acknowledge the contributions made by the Executive Director of UN- Women and other representatives. Sri Lanka firmly believes that it is the meaningful participation of women in the international peace and security agenda that will bring about change in the world. It does not suffice that women are present at the peace table merely to satisfy a superficial gender-balance requirement or to check a box on a management-reform achievements sheet. Women must be given the space to truly engage both at the peace table and beyond, and at all levels - as leaders, researchers, workers, penholders and agents of change.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Effective mediation will therefore require gender equality and women's empowerment, human security, human rights and development to mesh together.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“Another important factor is a sense of inclusivity, so that the views and needs of the parties to a conflict and other stakeholders are not only represented, but also heard and integrated into the process and outcomes of a mediation effort. Above all, national ownership and leadership are needed if the parties to a conflict, and society as a whole, are to work towards sustaining peace, since the responsibility must be broadly shared by the Government and national stakeholders. There is undoubtedly an inextricable link between gender inequality and international peace and security, as expressed in resolution 1325 (2000). The active participation of women at all levels is necessary, if national ownership is to be meaningful, as has been stressed throughout today's debate.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“There are well-established best practices for mediation, the most important of which is the preparedness that is vital to responsible and credible mediation efforts, as are a cohesive team of specialists and the necessary political, financial and administrative support from the mediating entity. Perceptions are vital, and in that regard, impartiality becomes the bedrock of successful mediation. The process must never allow the possibility that it could perceived as biased towards one party. Nor can we forget that mediation is a voluntary process that requires the consent of the conflicting parties to be effective and lead to a lasting peace.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“Given civil society's immense importance in mediation efforts, Sri Lanka is pleased that a representative of civil society was included as a briefer in this debate. The implementation of peace agreements may often depend at the beginning on a degree of substantial external support, including from donors. It can help to incentivize the people to support political efforts as they begin to enjoy the dividends of peace in terms of development and real economic benefits. While disputes and conflicts are unique and require specific approaches, good practices should inform all mediation efforts. We have to continue to adapt our approaches and capacities to meet the changing nature of conflict, particularly in the context of intra-State conflicts that threaten international and regional peace and security.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“As a country that in the course of a 30-year conflict welcomed and engaged in reconciliation and mediation efforts between 2001 and 2006 by an external actor who was invited by both parties to the conflict, Sri Lanka is well aware of both the advantages and pitfalls of such efforts, however sincere, if not carefully calibrated, monitored and managed. In that regard, the coherence, coordination and complementarity of mediation efforts, backed by reconciliation and peacebuilding, are all essential and challenging, as a number of delegations have stressed today. Mediation actors at various levels - the international community, including the United Nations, regional and subregional organizations, international entities, civil society and national and local actors - must all be on board with regard to such efforts.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“In that context, we particularly welcome the initiative taken by the Secretary-General to establish the High-level Advisory Board on Mediation. When we focus on the resolution of disputes by peaceful means and in conformity with the principles of international law and respect for human rights, it is important to reiterate that all United Nations bodies must uphold their commitment to the sovereign equality of States and respect their territorial integrity and political independence. It is the duty of all Member States to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in a manner inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“The parties to a conflict must be persuaded by the merits of mediation and well-supported peace processes. Indeed, mediation, if it is to lead to lasting peace, must take place within normative and legal frameworks constituted by the rules of international law and humanitarian law and within the framework of the Charter and the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The recurring General Assembly resolution entitled "Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution" recognizes the increased use of mediation and reflects on the current challenges facing the international community in such mediation efforts, while calling on key actors to develop their mediation capacities.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“We also join other delegations in saluting the memory of the late former Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his notable contribution to the cause of peace and development and the promotion of the humanitarian agenda, which will remain his true legacy to this Organization. Mediation has been established over time as one of the more effective methods for preventing, managing and resolving conflicts. It is appropriate to recall here that Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations states that any dispute that is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security should first be addressed through negotiation, mediation or other peaceful means, and also encourages the Council to call on the parties to use such means to settle disputes. However, the pacific settlement of disputes cannot be forced.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“I would first like to congratulate the British presidency of the Security Council for convening this open debate on a vital subject related to the maintenance of international peace and security and a topic that has not been debated in the Security Council since 2009 (see S/PV.6108), despite its contemporary relevance and the growing complexity of conflicts around the world. Sri Lanka welcomes the participation of His Excellency Lord Ahmad, Minister of State for the Commonwealth and United Nations of the United Kingdom, in today's debate. We also thank the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Secretary-General and the representative of civil society for their valuable briefings this morning.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“That is an area where the United Nations can and must play a crucial role, in particular by assisting States with capacity- building, thereby contributing to the universality of international lawmaking.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Its pioneering work on the draft code of offences against the peace and security of humankind and on the draft statute of an International Criminal Court was path-breaking, and set the pace for the current developments in the area of international criminal responsibility. Items on its current agenda, such as universal jurisdiction, the immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction and the issue of genocide, are of particular significance in that regard. In conclusion, Sri Lanka wishes to draw the attention of the Council to the challenges faced by developing States in their full and effective participation in the multilateral treaty-making process.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“As Judge Owada pertinently observed during today's debate, in exercising its advisory jurisdiction, the Court is expressing "an authentic legal opinion" in order to clarify legal issues to the other organs of the Organization. Let me also take this opportunity to appeal to Member States to recognize the invaluable work of the main legal organ of the United Nations, the International Law Commission, as it celebrates its seventieth anniversary here in New York, and to pay tribute to its invaluable contribution over the years in the codification and progressive development of international law.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“In addressing such issues, key organs of the United Nations 4 the Security Council, the General Assembly and the International Court of Justice 4 can make a collective contribution and strengthen international peace and security. The contribution that the International Court of Justice has made over the years in the field of the maintenance of international peace and security has been invaluable. I want to refer particularly to the advisory opinion of the Court on the question of the Legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons (A/51/218, annex). Greater recourse to the advisory jurisdiction of the Court in addressing critical and complex issues with both political and legal ramifications is an option that could be usefully pursued in matters relating to international peace and security.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Historically, the General Assembly and its legal committee, the Sixth Committee, have provided a platform for the effective and equitable participation of all States in the international norm-creating process. Earlier today Judge Owada drew our attention to another vital aspect and clearly underlined the importance of the organs of the United Nations acting in concert within their respective areas of functions, as stipulated in the Charter. Their synergies must be harnessed in achieving our collective goal of maintaining international peace and security. In today's world, disputes that threaten the international order have complex political and legal dimensions.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Upholding international law within the context of the maintenance of international peace and security requires absolute adherence to Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations, namely, to the core principles of the sovereign equality of States and non-interference, the prohibition of the threat or use of force and the obligation to settle international disputes through recourse to peaceful methods of dispute settlement, as prescribed in Article 33 of the Charter. The efficacy of international law in preserving international peace and security would require the achievement ofa global consensus, which must factor in the hopes and aspiration of all States and not just those of a select few.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“If we are to strengthen international law amid such challenges, we must ensure that there is equality before the law and a guarantee of the independence of international judicial mechanisms, and that legal remedies remain accessible to the most vulnerable among us. It is vital that all States have an equal opportunity to participate in the international law- making process. That is the essence of the evolution of modern international law from its classical origins as a law that governed only a limited community of States prior to decolonization. It is also a principle that protects all States, especially developing countries, from the harshness of an empirically unequal world.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“The fabric of the global order is increasingly coming under threat with the rise in flashpoints, conflicts and the spread of the spectre of terrorism and violent extremism. It is therefore vital that Member States forge new and innovative partnerships in the context of preserving international peace and security. In doing so, Governments must act under the imprimatur of the law 4 the foundation upon which a peaceful, equitable and prosperous international community is built. It must therefore be the common responsibility of all Member States to strengthen the international order based on respect for international law.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Mr. Perera: I would like to express our sincere congratulations to the Polish presidency of the Security Council for convening today's timely debate on upholding international law within the context of the maintenance of international peace and security. I also want to express our profound appreciation for the insightful briefings delivered earlier today by Judge Hisashi Owada, Senior Judge and President Emeritus of the International Court of Justice, and Judge Theodor Meron, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Today's debate takes place at a crucial time, when strengthening and invigorating collective measures for the maintenance of international peace and security have become imperative.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“One of the best ways to achieve that is through the universal language of sport and play. Education remains one of the key preventive measures, and Sri Lanka has recognized the importance of developing youth skills. In that regard, we took the initiative to declare 15 July as World Youth Skills Day. General Assembly resolution 69/145, recognizing World Youth Skills Day, received the overwhelming support of the General Assembly. In conclusion, Sri Lanka believes that our children and youth are not only our future, but also our present. We see them as our greatest asset on our path to a better, peaceful and more secure world.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Sri Lanka is also on the cusp of introducing a comprehensive social and emotional learning programme for three- to five-year-olds in its preschools island-wide. The programme seeks to adopt a curriculum mediating all aspects of experiential, social and emotional learning in order to end discriminatory mindsets at a very early age and the cycle of violence. It seeks to change the mindsets and attitudes of children during their formative years through value-based education, activity, play and sports as a compulsory new subject. As a country recovering from conflict, we remain convinced that the only way to heal the wounds of division and sustain peace is by inculcating the values of empathy, oneness, inclusion, forgiveness, compassion and love in our children while they are young and open to change.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Among a range of activities, the Office of National Unity and Reconciliation works on educational sector reform to incorporate national unity and reconciliation as a pillar within the education sector with a View to instilling in our children the importance of plurality. Those reforms include the twinning of schools, student-teacher exchanges, an examination of school textbooks to replace potentially inflammatory material and stereotypes, and the introduction of a guidebook on the rights and responsibilities of children. We have also introduced psychosocial programmes for those who have been traumatized. The Office of National Unity and Reconciliation provides training to leaders and clergy of various religions in peacebuilding with a view to using them as early-warning mechanisms to defuse potential conflict situations.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“A national consultative task force - entirely driven by civil society and operating under the four pillars of truth, justice, reconciliation and non-recurrence - consulted with youth leaders, women, community leaders and others from all over the country in order to seek their views in establishing a comprehensive reconciliation mechanism. Sri Lanka also established a national policy on reconciliation in 2016, coordinated comprehensive district-level development plans for former conflict affected areas and launched interfaith, arts and culture programmes. We established the Office of National Unity and Reconciliation as the implementing body for those programmes.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“The strategies and activities included improving their physical and mental state by spiritual, sociophysiological, personality and leadership training targeted to suit job opportunities. Apart from ex-combatants who directly surrendered, over 2,000 ex-combatants who had been arrested for their direct involvement in terrorist activities underwent voluntary rehabilitation in lieu of prosecution. We have sought to include our young people and other stakeholders in building a post-conflict reconciliation and peacebuilding mechanism to ensure ownership and control of their futures.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source