War crimes allegations:India Calls On UNHRC to help SL conduct domestic probe

by Zacki Jabbar- April 3, 2014, 12:00 PM India said yesterday that the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) should, instead o !ursuing an international !robe into allegations o "ar crimes against the #ri $ankan go%ernment and the $&&', encourage Colombo to conduct a com!rehensi%e, inde!endent and credible national in%estigation( In an ')clusi%e inter%ie" "ith The Island the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, *+ #inha said that his country "hich #+I,,'- $ast .eek/s U(#( backed UNHRC resolution calling or an International in0uiry into allegations o #erious Human rights %iolations in #ri $anka, during the !eriod co%ered by the $essons $earnt and Reconciliation Commission ($$RC), belie%ed that it "as im!erati%e or e%ery country to ha%e the means o addressing human rights %iolations through a robust national mechanism( ,ointing out that the !rimary res!onsibility o !rotecting human rights lay "ith national institutions, he said that #ri $anka should be !ro%ided "ith all assistance it re0uired in a coo!erati%e and collaborati%e manner( &he High Commissioner obser%ed that the $$RC re!ort, its indings and recommendations, !ro%ided a "indo" o o!!ortunity to orge a consensual "ay or"ard to"ards a lasting !olitical settlement through genuine national reconciliation and the ull en1oyment o human rights by all its citi2ens( In this regard Ne" -elhi "as committed to "orking "ith the #ri $ankan go%ernment, he said( .hile calling or an early resum!tion o a dialogue bet"een the go%ernment o #ri $anka and the &N3, he em!hasised that !rogress on meaning ul de%olution and a !olitical settlement "ould hel! sort out accountability issues to the satis action o all sides in #ri $anka( ')cer!ts o the inter%ie"( 4 - India took e%eryone by sur!rise and abstained "hen the U#-s!onsored resolution against #ri $anka "as taken u! or %ote at the UNHRC last "eek( .hat brought about its decision5 *+#6 &he resolution "as intrusi%e and undermines the national so%ereignty o #ri $anka( It ignores the !rogress already made by #ri $anka in im!lementing !re%ious resolutions( 7oreo%er, the resolution is inconsistent and im!ractical in asking both the 8o%ernment o #ri $anka and the 9HCHR to conduct in%estigations simultaneously(

4-Is it India/s !osition that "hat ha!!ened "as in the !ast and the allegations !ertaining to the conduct o the "ar should be o%erlooked in the interest o reconciliation and rehabilitation5 *+#6 .e, belie%e that it is im!erati%e or e%ery country to ha%e the means o addressing human rights %iolations through robust national mechanisms( &he UNHRC/s e orts should there ore be directed to"ards encouraging and enabling #ri $anka to in%estigate all allegations o human rights %iolations through com!rehensi%e, inde!endent and credible national in%estigati%e mechanisms( #ri $anka should be !ro%ided all assistance it re0uires in a coo!erati%e and collaborati%e manner( I must also add here that the !rimary res!onsibility or !rotecting human rights lies "ith national institutions( 'arly !rogress on meaning ul de%olution and a !olitical settlement "ithin the rame"ork o a uni ied #ri $anka "ill !re!are the ground or a more sustainable redressal o accountability issues to the mutual satis action o all sides in #ri $anka( 'arly resum!tion o a dialogue bet"een the go%ernment and the &N3 is there ore a key im!erati%e( 46 .ith national elections to be held shortly, ho" "ould the 7anmohan #ingh go%ernment deal "ith the disa!!ointment e)!ressed by !olitical !arties in &amil Nadu o%er Ne" -elhi/s decision to abstain on the UNHRC %ote against #$5 *+#6 .e belie%e that our decision to abstain on the UNHRC %ote, "ould strengthen our hand in achie%ing our ob1ecti%es in #ri $anka( 9ur %ote "as meant to assist #ri $anka in inding a lasting !olitical settlement, acce!table to all communities in #ri $anka including the &amils( .e "ill continue to remain engaged "ith the 8o%ernment o #ri $anka in realising the abo%e ob1ecti%es( I "ould not like to comment on Indian domestic !olitics( 3s a close neighbour "ith thousands o years o cordial relations, "ith dee! rooted ethnic, s!iritual and ci%ilisational ties, "e cannot remain untouched by de%elo!ments in #ri $anka( #ince the end o the armed con lict, India has remained engaged in a substantial "ay in the relie , resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction !rocess in #ri $anka( 9ur assistance has greatly contributed to the 8o%ernment o #ri $anka/s e orts in resettlement o Internally -is!laced ,ersons, de-mining, education, connecti%ity, li%elihood restoration, economic re%i%al, etc( .e "ill continue to e)tend all !ossible assistance in this regard( 3t the same time, India has re!eatedly called or mo%ing to"ards an early !olitical settlement and national reconciliation through meaning ul de%olution o !o"ers so as to ensure that all citi2ens o #ri $anka including the #ri $ankan &amil community, can lead a li e marked by e0uality, 1ustice , dignity and sel -res!ect as citi2ens o united #ri $anka( In this conte)t, India continues to underscore that the re!ort o the $$RC and its indings and recommendations, !ro%ide a "indo" o o!!ortunity to orge a consensual "ay or"ard to"ards a lasting !olitical settlement through genuine national reconciliation and the ull en1oyment o human rights by all its citi2ens( &he 8o%ernment o India is committed to "orking "ith the 8o%ernment o #ri $anka in this !rocess(