Chennai: Tamil Nadu on Wednesday opposed any move to allow Sri Lanka hold an internal probe into alleged human rights violations and war crimes during hostilities in 2009 and urged the Modi government to take the lead at the UN and press for an international investigation on it.
Mooving a resolution which was unanimously adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa accused the previous UPA government of not fulfilling the state’s demands vis-a-vis the ethnic issue.
She charged the Sri Lankan government with carrying out ‘planned’ attacks against Tamils in 2009 and said a UN appointed commission had found out that many “inhuman” acts were performed against the ethnic minority.
The resolution demanded that India itself should move a “strong resolution” at the UNHRC seeking an international probe against those who had committed human rights violations and war crimes contravening international rules and conventions.
Jayalalithaa said that the “same America which brought a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against Sri Lanka” earlier seeking international investigation on these issues had now proposed an internal probe by Colombo.
“There are reports that US could move a resolution at the UNHRC (in this regard.) This is contradictory to natural justice,” she said.
“The Tamil Nadu Assembly requests the Government of India that if America takes a stand supportive of Sri Lanka (at the UNHRC), then India must take diplomatic efforts to change that,” the resolution moved by Jayalalithaa, said.
The Chief Minister said Sri Lanka’s opinion had been reportedly sought on a UN report on alleged human rights violations and that the country may be allowed to constitute its own probe after getting its explanation.
“A situation has emerged at the UNHRC wherein Sri Lanka, based on its response,will be allowed to probe the war crimes. Indian government has the responsibility to stop this,” she said. (PTI)
