Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Sri Lanka Perspectives- March 2014



Col R Hariharan

Highlights

UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka: The UN Human Rights Council voted with 23-13 majority for a resolution seeking an international investigation into allegations of Sri Lanka’s war crimes and human rights violations committed during the Eelam War. India abstained during the voting in a volte face of support to two resolutions on the same subject in earlier years.

Sri Lanka security on high alert: Sri Lanka forces in Northern Provinces were placed on high alert to prevent a possible “regrouping of LTTE sympathisers” according to Major General Udaya Perera, Jaffna commander. This followed the arrest of two suspects in connection with a recent incident in Kilinochchi where a suspected LTTE supporter opened fire and injured a policeman who was making inquiries.  

UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka

The 47-member UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed the much awaited resolution seeking an international investigation into alleged human rights violations and war crimes during the last seven years of Sri Lanka’s Eelam war. The resolution initiated by the US was passed with 23 members voting in favour and 12 against. India was a surprise addition among the 12 members who abstained from voting. 

The Resolution asked the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (OCHR) to undertake a “comprehensive investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties [the security forces and the LTT] in Sri Lanka.” It also called upon Sri Lanka to cooperate with the OCHR in its implementation.

The Resolution was clearly influenced by the oral report of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Navi Pillay submitted at the session on the progress Sri Lanka had made in implementing the earlier resolution. Her report prepared after her visit to Sri Lanka last year, concluded that Sri Lanka’s national mechanisms had consistently failed to establish the truth and to achieve justice. The Resolution reflects her recommendation to establish an international inquiry mechanism to further investigate the alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws and monitor any domestic accountability processes.

India’s abstention is a significant departure from its past record. It had voted in favour of the two earlier resolutions on the same subject moved at the initiative of the US. India has justified its changed stance by saying that it firmly believed adopting an intrusive approach that undermined national sovereignty and institutions was counterproductive. However, it was obvious that unlike the earlier occasions, this time the Centre faced no coalition political compulsions to appease the DMK its coalition partner from Tamil Nadu and vote for the resolution.  The DMK facing the flak for its role in shaping the Sri Lanka policy has already quit the Congress-led coalition partner in a bid to distance itself from the Congress.  

However, it is significant that despite the ongoing election campaign, the Centre had chosen to abstain in compliance with Sri Lanka’s request a few months back. Apparently New Delhi is trying to halt the downslide in its relations with Sri Lanka caused by this issue in the larger strategic interests of both the nations.

China, Russia and Pakistan were vociferous in their opposition to the Resolution moving amendments to stall the voting on the resolution. Others who joined them in voting against the resolution included Algeria, Congo, Cuba, Kenya, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela, and Vietnam, who had come under international scrutiny for their own human rights aberrations.  

Sri Lanka security on high alert

Sri Lanka forces in Northern Province were placed on high alert to prevent a possible “regrouping of LTTE sympathisers” according to General Udaya Perera, Jaffna commander. This followed after the arrest of two suspects in connection with a recent incident in Kilinochchi where a suspected LTTE supporter opened fire and injured a policeman who was making inquiries.  Army has alleged that the two suspects –Gopi (who was said to have opened fire on the police) and his associate Appan have links with sections of Tamil Diaspora working to revive the LTTE in Sri Lanka. They are on the lookout for a third suspect.

However, Northern Province Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran said the army’s “story” on the revival of the LTTE was very weak as many questions about Gobi opening fire and injuring a policeman remained unanswered. He alleged the army was spreading such a story to justify the heavy military presence in the North. He has a point as the arrests were timed to coincide with the UNHRC session where the heavy military presence in the Northern presence was one of the issues on which Sri Lanka faced the flak.   

But at the same time, Sri Lanka cannot afford to ignore the possibility of revival of Tamil separatism in the North particularly as sections of Tamil Diaspora sympathetic to the LTTE have hyped their international visibility. In league with some pro-LTTE fringe parties in Tamil Nadu they have influenced the Tamil Nadu political rhetoric on Sri Lanka to become increasingly strident with shrill pro-Eelam separatist overtones.

Miscellaneous

Commission of inquiry: Sri Lanka government has amended the Presidential Commission’s inquiry into cases of alleged disappearances of persons in the Northern and Eastern Provinces to cover the period from 1983 to 2009. The extended period now includes the period in which the Indian Peace Keeping Force operated in this region. This adds to the possibility of triggering anti-India sentiments as and when it suits anti-India elements in Sri Lanka.

Trade unions' suspicions: Sri Lanka’s trade unions have sought immediate clarification from the government on whether it was going to ease labour laws in the country to the advantage of employers likr China as the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries last year related to strengthening cooperation on labour-related issues. The MoU is believed to be related to labour policies, promoting labour relations, social protection etc.  According to latest statistics of the Labour Ministry, there are 6,600 Chinese workers in Sri Lanka.         Written on March 32, 2014

Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Volume 8 No.2 April 2014
URL: www.security-risks.com  

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