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India joins West to vote against Lanka on ‘war crimes’ New Delhi, March 22
Experts say New Delhi’s decision could affect the strong ties between India and Sri Lanka. The possibility is that the island nation might tilt towards China in the coming days, much to India’s discomfiture. Domestic politics have obviously dictated India’s decision since it normally does not vote on nation-specific resolutions. There was an intense pressure on the UPA government from the DMK, a key constituent of the ruling coalition, and the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu to vote in support of the resolution indicting Sri Lanka for the ‘war crimes’. The DMK had even threatened to pull out of the government. In his reply to the motion of thanks to the President for his address to a joint session of Parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stated that India was inclined to vote in favour of the resolution. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris had telephoned External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday, appealing to India to reconsider its decision to support the resolution.The MPs from Tamil Nadu were even today monitoring the developments in Geneva even as the Parliament session was on. The DMK MPs were quite jubilant as soon as TV channels flashed the news that India had supported the resolution, moved by the US. Justifying its decision to support the resolution, India, in an explanation note, said that as a neighbour with thousands of years of cordial relations with Lanka, it could not remain untouched by the developments in that country. However, New Delhi made it clear that while it subscribed to the broader message of this resolution and the objectives it promoted, it must be ensured that any assistance from the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights or visits of UN Special Procedures should be in consultation with and with the concurrence of the Sri Lankan government. “A democratic country like Sri Lanka has to be provided time and space to achieve the objectives of reconciliation and peace,” India said. Sources said India wanted Sri Lanka to implement in a credible and time-bound manner the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which was set up at the end of the conflict. Asked if India’s decision could affect its ties with Sri Lanka, the sources said the relationship between the two nations was so deep rooted and beneficial that the vote in Geneva should not have any adverse impact on it. “It would be difficult for either of us to regress from where we have reached in our relations,” they added. On reports from Colombo that the Indian mission had issued an advisory to Indian nationals to contact it if they face any problem in the island nation in the wake of the vote in Geneva, the sources said it could well have been more by way of abundant precaution.
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The resolution was adopted with 24 votes in favour, 15 against and eight abstentions. China, however, firmly backed the island nation on alleged war crimes, saying it was against any country putting pressure on others in the name of rights violations. Russia too opposed the motion. 