Addressing the 69the General Assembly of the UN on Wednesday Sri Lankan President said in order to gain the confidence and goodwill of the international community as a whole, one of the essential requirements is consistency of standards across the board without any perception of selectivity or discrimination.
"It is in this context that the current functioning of the system needs fresh examination in order to enhance its credibility," he said.
He charged that some member states use human rights as a tool to implement motivated agendas with no understanding or appreciation of the complexity of issues in the countries concerned and stressed that human rights should be recognized by all as a moral and ethical concept rather than as a political tool.
"External intervention without adequate consideration of the structures in a society and cultural traditions of the countries where such intervention takes place, inevitably results in destabilization, which is very much in evidence today, in most parts of the world," he noted.
Strongly criticizing the UN Human Rights Council for targeting Sri Lanka, President Rajapaksa said the post-conflict island nation has become an "unfortunate victim" of "ill-conceived agendas" of some in the Human Rights Council who pay scant regard to the substantial progress achieved by Sri Lanka, in reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation within a short span of 5 years.
"There is an obvious lack of balance and proportion in the manner in which my country is being targeted today, disregarding these significant achievements. This is in sharp contrast with the approach to deeply disturbing situations involving humanitarian emergencies elsewhere," he pointed out.
The Sri Lankan President told the member states that reform of institutions concerned is essential for multilateralism to remain relevant and effective and to be effective, the process must involve de-politicization of the UN systems and mechanisms and they must stop being hostage to different forms of funding.
He said the UN bodies must find ways to work with governments through dialogue, greater understanding of situations and cooperation including assisting to strengthen national institutions instead of strong arm tactics in the search for sustainable solutions to global challenges.
Speaking of post-war development in the country, the President noted that despite being affected by terrorism Sri Lanka has achieved most Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Sri Lanka has succeeded in being ranked ahead of all South Asian countries in the 2013 Human Development Index, he pointed out.
The President remarked that Sri Lanka continues on a deeply satisfying and a transformative journey in the interest of all the people of the country and work in accordance with the traditional foreign policy of 'friendship towards all and enmity towards none' and said Sri Lanka expects the same from the international community.
"We hope that the international community will reciprocate and assist Sri Lanka in her domestic process of reconciliation and economic development without exerting undue pressure on us," the President said.
He said the Government of Sri Lanka remains committed to its objective of pursuing the processes of reconciliation, and nation building, undeterred by ill-motivated criticism.
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