European nations call unsuccessfully for an independent investigation of alleged war crimes by both sides and unhindered access for aid workers to the more than 300,000 displaced. Instead, the Human Rights Council passed, by 29 votes to 12 (with six abstentions), the resolution that Sri Lanka itself submitted entitled “Assistance to Sri Lanka in the promotion and protection of human rights”.
Timeline of events under "United Nations" issue
The remaining United Nations (UN) staff leave the Wanni following a government statement that it could not guarantee the safety of aid workers because of increased fighting.
Sri Lanka fails to keep its seat on the UN Human Rights Council, following strong lobbying from pressure groups.
A U.N. investigator, Manfred Nowak, special rapporteur on torture for the U.N. Human Rights Council calls upon the government to take seriously reports of widespread use of torture by security forces in their battle with LTTE along with a list of other recommendations following a week-long visit on an official invitation.
Civil rights groups accuse Sri Lanka's Jaffna Military commander of instructing the NGOs and civil society representatives not to refer to human rights issues and to "restrict themselves to issues of humanitarian assistance" before meeting the United Nations Under Secretary General, Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes.
UNHCR estimates that between 120,000-150,000 people were displaced during the escalation of violence in the recent months. More than 40,000 were displaced in a single week in March 2007.
In a report to the Security Council, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has - for the first time - recommended "targeted measures" against the LTTE and the Karuna faction due to the groups’ continued refusal to completely cease the recruitment of children.
The United Nations asks both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to cease hostilities and resume peace talks, following the aerial bombing on 2 January.
Allan Rock, the U.N. special representative for children and armed conflict on Sri Lanka, announces that a section of the Government forces has been actively aiding and abetting the Karuna faction in recruiting child soldiers to fight the LTTE.
The Supreme Court delivers its judgement in connection with the the revision/review application filed by Nallaratnam Singarasa, dismissing it on the grounds that it was misconceived and without legal basis.
The UN Human Rights Committee gives its views in the case of Singarasa v Sri Lanka and finds that there had been a violation of Nallaratnam Singarasa's rights.
Sri Lanka accedes to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The protocol allows individual complaints about violations to be taken to the U.N.'s Human Rights Committee.
The UN's Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, undertakes a twelve-day visit to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka ratifies the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Sri Lanka becomes a member of the United Nations.
