Motion on Lanka in German Parliament rejected

A motion on Sri Lanka titled "Use the UN Human Rights Council and Demand Observance of Laws, Human Rights and Reconciliation Process in Sri Lanka" was rejected with the votes of the governing coalition in the German Bundestag (German Parliament) on February 28.

The motion presented by the Opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD) group in Parliament was signed by its Chairman Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was also a former candidate for the German Chancellor and former Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Parliamentarian Jürgen Klimke speaking for the ruling Christian Democratic Party (CDU) group argued that there was no need for the motion as the Federal Government was already working actively with the international community and the Sri Lankan Government to address issues related to it.

Free Democratic Party (FDP) Parliamentarian Pascal Kober said that the FDP-led Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federal Government was very active in the promotion of peace and Human Rights in Sri Lanka.

"With these activities, this governing coalition supports the long-term process of reconciliation between the former conflicting parties in Sri Lanka and thus promotes the step-by-step realisation of Human Rights by the Sri Lankan Government," he said.

Parliamentarian of the Left Party Karin Werner referred to the history of terrorism in Sri Lanka and said that its roots had been laid by colonialism.

Parliamentarian of Alliance 90 / the Greens and Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the German Bundestag (Parliament) Tom Koenigs argued that it was the responsibility of the international community to prevent internal conflicts developing into Human Rights violations. Tom Koenigs said that Germany should be the first to ensure better protection from the gravest Human Rights violations.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Berlin closely monitored the proceedings in the German Parliament.