-By LeN Diplomatic correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -07.Sep.2025, 11.00 PM)
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Vijitha Herath, boarded an early morning flight to Geneva on Saturday, carrying with him a weight that goes far beyond the polished diplomatic folders and briefing papers tucked into his entourage’s bags. For the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which opens tomorrow, Herath represents not only his government’s foreign policy posture but also the bruised conscience of a country that has spent decades under the harsh glare of international human rights scrutiny.
The gathering itself, a high-profile fixture on the global calendar, will bring together leaders, diplomats, activists and experts from nearly every continent. Yet for Sri Lanka, Geneva has always been more than just another international forum. It has been a theatre of contention, where narratives of war, peace, accountability and sovereignty collide.
This year, however, the context is slightly different. With the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition completing its first year in office, Herath’s speech is expected to highlight progress in democratic governance, reconciliation and institutional transparency — themes designed to shift the global conversation from old grievances to new beginnings.
For over a decade, Sri Lanka has been a recurring subject at the UNHRC. Since the final stages of the civil war in 2009, successive administrations in Colombo have oscillated between defiance and conciliation, often promising reforms at Geneva while facing accusations of backtracking at home.
The UNHRC has passed multiple resolutions on Sri Lanka, mandating monitoring of alleged war crimes, demanding accountability for abuses committed during and after the conflict, and pressing for systemic reforms to safeguard minority rights.
For many in Geneva, Sri Lanka’s presence is inseparable from this history. Herath’s challenge is not only to present the NPP government as a break from the past but also to convince sceptics that its reforms are more than rhetorical flourishes.
Officials in Colombo have hinted at the broad themes of the Foreign Minister’s speech. He will emphasise the government’s efforts to consolidate democratic institutions after years of authoritarian drift, citing reforms in parliamentary oversight, judicial independence and media freedom.
The speech will also touch upon reconciliation — a politically loaded term in Sri Lanka. The NPP has promised a more inclusive national dialogue with minority communities, though critics argue that meaningful devolution and accountability remain distant goals.
In an attempt to pivot the narrative, Herath is expected to highlight areas of progress often overlooked at Geneva: anti-corruption initiatives, greater transparency in governance, and early steps toward addressing the country’s economic inequality.
Yet, the subtext of the speech will be clear: Sri Lanka wants space, time and trust from the international community.
Beyond the formal address, Herath’s Geneva itinerary is packed with bilateral meetings. These encounters in hotel lobbies, private rooms and diplomatic lounges often prove more consequential than set-piece speeches.
According to officials, Herath will meet counterparts from South Asia, Europe and Africa, with discussions expected to revolve around shared concerns such as migration, counterterrorism, climate change and human rights.
But the most closely watched engagement will be his scheduled meeting with Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Türk has been an outspoken critic of Colombo’s past failures to implement promised reforms, and his office has repeatedly urged deeper investigations into wartime abuses.
For Herath, the meeting will be both an opportunity and a test: a chance to articulate the NPP government’s reformist agenda, but also a forum where past promises will resurface as pointed questions.
The timing of this Geneva visit is symbolically loaded. The NPP coalition, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, marks its first year in power — a year that has been turbulent domestically but cautiously hopeful on the international stage.
At home, the administration has faced mounting public pressure to deliver on its ambitious promises of social justice, economic recovery and systemic change. Abroad, the government has sought to reposition Sri Lanka as a responsible and cooperative member of the global community, in contrast to the combative postures of some of its predecessors.
Herath’s address is thus expected to serve as both a report card and a declaration of intent: showcasing reforms already undertaken while laying the groundwork for further engagement.
Despite the new government’s rhetoric, Geneva will not easily forget Sri Lanka’s past. Civil society organisations and Tamil diaspora groups have already signalled their intention to keep pressing for accountability on alleged war crimes. They argue that without meaningful justice for victims of the conflict, no amount of institutional reform will satisfy international standards.
Herath’s careful balancing act will involve acknowledging these concerns without committing to measures that might alienate his domestic political base. The NPP coalition, while reformist in many respects, also draws support from constituencies wary of international interventions in sovereign affairs.
Herath’s presence in Geneva also intersects with broader geopolitical dynamics. The UNHRC has increasingly become a stage for great-power competition, where Western governments emphasise accountability and human rights, while China and Russia champion sovereignty and non-interference.
Sri Lanka, strategically positioned in the Indian Ocean, often finds itself caught between these competing narratives. How Herath navigates this tightrope — appealing to Western donors while avoiding antagonising powerful non-Western allies — will be closely observed.
On the sidelines of the Council, non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders are expected to hold briefings, protests and side events focusing on Sri Lanka. Their reports, often searing in detail, serve as counterpoints to the official government narrative.
Herath will likely be confronted with these accounts, both in the Council chamber and in private meetings. How he responds — whether with defensiveness, empathy, or pragmatism — will shape perceptions of the NPP government’s credibility.
As Geneva prepares to open its doors, the question remains whether Sri Lanka will seize this moment to reset its relationship with the international community or whether the visit will become yet another exercise in diplomatic theatre.
For Herath, the stakes are high. A constructive reception could strengthen Sri Lanka’s hand in seeking international support for its economic recovery and development agenda. A sceptical or hostile reception, by contrast, could deepen mistrust and isolate Colombo at a time when external assistance remains crucial.
When Vijitha Herath takes the floor in Geneva, his words will be scrutinised not only by fellow diplomats but also by Sri Lankan citizens watching from afar — many of whom have grown weary of promises made abroad but rarely implemented at home.
The UNHRC has long been a mirror reflecting Sri Lanka’s struggle with its past and its contested visions of the future. This week, it will once again become a stage where the country’s leaders attempt to persuade the world that change is possible.
Whether the world believes them is another matter entirely.
-By LeN Diplomatic correspondent
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by (2025-09-07 17:35:26)
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