The passage of the U.N. resolution should be viewed more as what Harold Laski called a “moral sanction” from the international community. The need for the resolution itself was the outcome of an extensive and impartial ground report on human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
India has taken the correct position despite geo-political and strategic considerations which weighed heavily on it. It needs to pursue its diplomatic course vigorously to convince the island nation of its anxiety in ensuring a political settlement.
The needless and self-assumed credit for the passage of the resolution by political parties and the subsequent euphoria should not, in any way, send the wrong message that the LTTE still wields clout in Tamil Nadu. It is to be noted that the ground report of the UNHRC expert panel did not give a clean chit to the LTTE on human rights violations.
Chandran Dharmalingam,
The Nilgiris
