Take firm stand against Sri Lanka, say Raja and Maitreyan
Holding the UPA government responsible for the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Opposition parties on Thursday demanded that India take a firm stand against that country at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and called for economic sanctions as well.
In the Rajya Sabha, the AIADMK’s V. Maitreyan and D. Raja of the CPI criticised the government for not even mentioning the issue in the President’s address to the joint session of Parliament, and hoped that it would not remain a spectator at the UNHRC meeting, allowing the U.S. and Sri Lanka to dictate the proceedings.
Both members expressed the hope that India would vote against Sri Lanka in the U.N. and that it would not dilute the resolution as it had done the last time round.
“Slap sanctions”
Mr. Maitreyan demanded an independent inquiry into the killings of Tamils, and imposition of economic sanctions on Sri Lanka until the community was treated with dignity and respect.
He attacked the Centre for increasing the assistance to Sri Lanka by Rs. 210 crore during 2013-14, ignoring the fact that this fund was being misused and not spent for rehabilitation and resettlement of Tamils.
Mr. Maitreyan accused the DMK of shedding crocodile tears over the loss of lives in Sri Lanka even though it was part of the UPA when the “genocide” occurred. He demanded that the DMK and the Congress tender apology for their acts of commission and omission.
The AIADMK leader also urged the Centre not to participate at the CHOGM summit to be held in Sri Lanka in November.
Mr. Raja said the promised devolution of powers to Tamils was yet to be carried out.
Keywords: Sri Lankan Tamils, LTTE, Eelam war, Sri Lanka war crimes, Balachandran killing, UNHRC
A country which had woefully failed to stop the violation of all rights of existence of Kashmiri
Pandits and had not demonstrated any willingness, leave alone the might ,to rehabilitate
them in their own mother land ,can it be expected to fight for the rights of others in a
neighboring independent sovereign country? There are no human rights it is all political
strategies and survival of the mighty brutal power!!! .
Alas,our External Affairs Minister, Salman Kurshid is curiously the most undiplomatic of
our ministers. His statement that “we don’t play the policeman of the world or the big
brother in any country” when members of parliament, especially those from Tamil Nadu
were agitated that the Centre was “ignoring” the plight of Tamils and the “genocide” by
the Sri Lankan army" indicates that characteristic of his. He could have avoided such a
comment.
The Tamil parties must say exactly what they want to be done in Sri Lanka. They must come out with a clear set of action plan that they want in Sri Lanka. Will they be satisfied with a Kashmir type
solution ? India itself has a dubious record of pardoning the crimes of Pakistani prisoners of war in 1971 Bangladesh war due to US pressure. It is an irony that US that has pardoned Pakistan for Bangladeshi crimes, now wants Sri Lanka to be punished. Without a clear set of demands, it appears that the Tamil political parties are being funded by US just as Kudankulam protesters.
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