India votes against Sri Lanka, UNHRC adopts resolution
22 March 2013 1:48 AM GMT
The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday adopted the US-sponsored resolution on human rights violation in Sri Lanka with 25 countries, including India, voting in favour of the document while Pakistan batted for Lanka on the issue.
Thirteen countries, including Pakistan, voted against and eight member-states abstained from voting on the contentious resolution that saw political tremors in India with DMK pulling out of the UPA alliance and the government. India pushed for seven written amendments in the six-paragraph resolution. Meanwhile, AIADMK and DMK on Thursday accused the UPA-led government of ‘diluting’ the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council by not moving any amendments demanded by it.
DMK had demanded that the ‘genocide’ of ethnic Tamils and the ‘war crimes’ inflicted against them by Sri Lankan forces be included in the UN resolution, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said.
During ‘Intervention in the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Resolution on Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka’, India’s permanent representative Dilip Sinha said, ‘We reiterate our call for an independent and credible investigation into allegations of human rights violations and loss of civilian lives’.
‘We note with concern the inadequate progress by Sri Lanka in fulfilling its commitment to this Council in 2009. Further, we call on Sri Lanka to move forward on its public commitments...,’ Sinha said.
However, sources said when India pushed for the written amendments, the sponsors of the resolution said attempt was to make it ‘broadest-possible’ and with tougher amendments, the purpose will be defeated. Sri Lanka said, ‘The resolution presented here on Thursday is clearly unacceptable to Sri Lanka.’
Thirteen countries, including Pakistan, voted against and eight member-states abstained from voting on the contentious resolution that saw political tremors in India with DMK pulling out of the UPA alliance and the government. India pushed for seven written amendments in the six-paragraph resolution. Meanwhile, AIADMK and DMK on Thursday accused the UPA-led government of ‘diluting’ the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council by not moving any amendments demanded by it.
DMK had demanded that the ‘genocide’ of ethnic Tamils and the ‘war crimes’ inflicted against them by Sri Lankan forces be included in the UN resolution, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said.
During ‘Intervention in the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Resolution on Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka’, India’s permanent representative Dilip Sinha said, ‘We reiterate our call for an independent and credible investigation into allegations of human rights violations and loss of civilian lives’.
‘We note with concern the inadequate progress by Sri Lanka in fulfilling its commitment to this Council in 2009. Further, we call on Sri Lanka to move forward on its public commitments...,’ Sinha said.
However, sources said when India pushed for the written amendments, the sponsors of the resolution said attempt was to make it ‘broadest-possible’ and with tougher amendments, the purpose will be defeated. Sri Lanka said, ‘The resolution presented here on Thursday is clearly unacceptable to Sri Lanka.’
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