The resolution on Sri Lanka tabled at the 25th sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva by US-led six member nations last Monday, in a way, gave the government a sense of relief for it was not the worst it expected.
The draft report on Sri Lanka released by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, earlier had recommended an independent international investigation into war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law and human rights during the armed conflict here. However, the US-inspired resolution presented at the Geneva sessions on Monday called for a credible international inquiry mechanism into violations of international human rights law and human rights, not an international commission of inquiry. In the process of softening the terminology of the resolution the words ‘war crimes’ too have been dropped. According to informed sources, a strategy adopted by the government has led to the softening of the ‘harsh’ resolution against Sri Lanka, which was in the making.
The sources explained that the government authorities leaked the contents of UN Human Rights Chief, Navi Pillay’s report purposely. Although a section of the media claimed the exclusive credit for accessing Pillay’s report, what really happened was, they said, the government planned to make the contents of the report widely known, so that Sri Lanka’s friendly nations would immediately take notice of the impending threat she was faced with.
The New Delhi Government, for instance, got highly perturbed when they learnt that the international investigation that Navi Pillay called for was to cover war crimes as well. India also noted that Pillay had recommended the international inquiry placing the LTTE also on the level of a sovereign State as the Sri Lankan Government.
India lost no time in launching a behind- the- scene operation to get the resolution softened with Sri Lanka’s friendly countries extending their ready backing. Thus the government’s strategy produced a welcome result – a silver lining in a dark cloud.
Sri Lanka not out of woods yet
However, the government is not out of the woods. Following the passage of the US-inspired resolution, an international inquiry mechanism is likely to be established. The report to be produced by the panel of experts or a special rapporteur to be appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon too could go against the Sri Lankan Government again.
There is another aspect to the Geneva resolution against Sri Lanka that the government cannot lose sight of. The interested member nations can move amendments to the resolution. This means that the resolution can become further softened or further hardened at the time of it being adopted.
South Africa backs Sri Lanka
South Africa, a nation known to be close to Western powers, has already announced her support for Sri Lanka at the Geneva sessions. The South African authorities also have taken up the position that the Sri Lankan Government must be allowed to investigate the alleged human rights violations by an internal inquiry mechanism.
Meanwhile, according to reports, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had inquired from Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh about India’s stand on the US-inspired resolution against Sri Lanka at this time round in Geneva, at the bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit held in Nay Pi Taw in Myanmar last week. The Indian Prime Minister under pressure from Tamil Nadu and a section of his own Congress Party to give Sri Lanka no quarter in Geneva had reportedly hedged giving a direct reply by saying that his government is still studying the draft resolution. However, it is quite evident, that India will support the US-inspired resolution against Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, reports originating from the capitals of Western countries say that the Tamil Diaspora has gone up in arms over the softening of the resolution. And various Eelam Tamil organizations representing the Tamil Diaspora have already begun lobbying for stiffening the resolution. Therefore, the chances are that several amendments to the resolution seeking more deterrent action against Sri Lanka will be moved at the sessions.
COURTESY:CEYLON TODAY