COMMENT I don't think that the international community of nations represented in the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) are really serious in addressing the issue of human rights in Sri Lanka.

Despite earlier resolutions that urged an international investigation into gross human rights abuses in Sri Lanka especially after the civil war, Sri Lanka continues to evade its international responsibility.

In the current session of the HRC in Geneva, countries like the United States, Britain, Macedonia, Montenegro, Northern Ireland are pushing for a resolution that would give the Sri Lankan government a two-year extension for it to present credible evidence on the progress of human rights in the country.

Apparently, countries like Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, and Norway might be supporting this resolution that was co-sponsored by Sri Lanka.

Chances are that this two-year extension might be given to Sri Lanka despite the fact that the human rights situation is horrendous in the country. After the civil war, which ended in May 2009, little progress has been made in promoting human rights, reconciliation and bringing to justice those who were responsible for war crimes.

More than 150,000 Tamils, men, women, and children have disappeared without a trace. The government is yet to address this issue, which remains an extremely sore point for Tamils, especially those who lost their loved ones.

Despite the promise by the new government of Maithripala Sirisena, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces have not returned to their barracks...