Overcoming its dithering, India on Thursday voted for a United
States-sponsored resolution at the United Nations’s top human rights
body censuring Sri Lanka for alleged rights violations during the war
against LTTE.
India had initially shown reluctance to vote on a nation-specific
resolution but had to change its stand under severe pressure from
political parties in Tamil Nadu, particularly DMK which had threatened
to pull out its ministers from the UPA government at the Centre.
With 24 votes for, 15 against and 8 abstentions, the 47-member UN Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted the resolution which noted with concern
that an internal inquiry report in Sri Lanka does not adequately address
“serious allegations” of violations of international law.
It also asked Colombo to present as expeditiously as possible a
comprehensive action plan detailing the steps to implement the
recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission
(LLRC) and to address the alleged violations of international law.
Sources said India decided to vote after persuading the
resolution-sponsor to make two changes in the draft so that it became
“non-intrusive” and contribute to political reconciliation process in
the island.
India did not participate in the debate but voted with countries like
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and
the US.
Many of India’s neighbours, including China, Bangladesh and Maldives,
and Russia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia were among the countries
that voted against the resolution which asked the Sri Lankan government
to implement the constructive recommendations of the LLRC.
"Voting due to domestic pressures"
In a veiled attack on India, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G L Peiris, who
was present during the voting, said the most distressing feature is the
reality that voting at the Council is now determined not by the merits
of a particular issue but by strategic alliances and domestic political
issues in other countries, an apparent reference to the politics in
Tamil Nadu.
However, Indian sources pointed out that it was successful in bringing
about the change in the resolution to add a paragraph which said
“recalling Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 on institution building of
the Human Rights Council” to give a context.
The other change was in reference to the wording of the last para of the
resolution which speaks of providing advice and technical assistance on
implementing the steps suggested in the resolution.
The amendment makes it clear that the advice and technical assistance
would be provided “in consultation with and with the concurrence of” the
government of Sri Lanka that made the resolution “non—intrusive”,
Indian sources said.
Tabling the resolution, the U.S. said Colombo had been given three years
to hold its own investigations into the allegations of serious
violations but given the lack of action it was appropriate that the
Council be pushed to do so.
“An enduring peace will be unsustainable without meaningful steps to
foster national reconciliation and accountability,” US envoy Eileen
Donahoe said.
She also said that India’s backing was very helpful because it was a
close neighbour. “We see India’s support as nothing but positive.”
Courtesy: The Hindu
0 comments:
Post a Comment