Sri Lanka government denies UN charge of intimidating activists

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UN rights council begins debate on US resolution on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka

Geneva:  The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has begun the crucial debate on a US resolution urging Colombo to probe alleged excesses committed during its operation to eradicate LTTE.

The voting holds significance as Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh recently made a statement in Parliament that India is inclined to support the resolution which has been moved by Norway, the US and France.

The resolution comes in the background of another Channel 4 documentary allegedly showing LTTE commander Prabhakaran's son with five bullet wounds in his chest, following which Tamil parties pressured the Indian government to support the resolution.

The government has been under huge pressure from its ally, the DMK, which has warned that it could withdraw its ministers from the Cabinet if India either abstained or supported Sri Lanka during the vote.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister called External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and asked him to reconsider the decision.

Rights groups say up to 40,000 civilians died in the final months of Colombo's military campaign to crush the Tamil Tigers, who waged a bloody decades-long campaign for a separate homeland for minority Tamils.

The US resolution has been dismissed by Sri Lanka, while activists have accused Colombo-backed elements of "intimidation" against them in Geneva, Switzerland.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a non-government organisation activist told AFP that while attending the council's meetings, they were photographed by people who appeared to be with the Sri Lanka delegation.

"It was done in a very obvious manner and we felt uncomfortable," said the activist, adding that the team "contemplated leaving the session".

The group brought a complaint to the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council, and later decided to stay as a probe was launched into the matter.

A UN rights spokesman confirmed the complaints and investigation.

"There was a complaint by a number of NGOs that their photographs had been taken," said the spokesman, Rolando Gomez. "We have investigated these incidents, but I can't give more details."

The Sri Lanka mission was not immediately available for comment.

Its chief government whip in Parliament, Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, had earlier called the US resolution "ill-timed, ill-conceived and borne out of ignorance".

The US resolution urges Sri Lanka to ensure "justice, equity, accountability and reconciliation" and says Colombo's own probe, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, did not adequately address concerns.

International rights activists said the US resolution was tabled because Sri Lanka has "done too little" to deal with claims of violations during the final months of its conflict with the Tamil Tigers in 2009.

"If adopted, the resolution sends a strong signal to Sri Lanka that it needs to move from cosmetic actions to real steps to hold those responsible for abuses on both sides to account," said Human Rights Watch Geneva director Julie De Rivero.

"By calling for Sri Lanka to urgently present a plan of concrete steps to address accountability, and asking the High Commissioner to assist and report on this process, the HRC will finally provide the many victims of Sri Lanka's long civil war hope of obtaining justice," she added.

The UN estimates some 100,000 people died during Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict between 1972 and 2009.

India, a traditional Sri Lanka ally, signalled on Monday that it was "inclined" to back the US resolution.

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India votes against Lanka, UN resolution on war crimes adopted

Geneva:  India is among 24 countries that voted against Sri Lanka today at a session of the United Nation Human Rights Council in Geneva. The UN's top human rights body has passed a resolution, sponsored by the US, that Sri Lanka must properly investigate alleged war crimes during its 26-year conflict with the rebel Tamil Tigers.

15 countries including China and Russia backed Sri Lanka, which had rejected the resolution, saying it unduly interfered in the country's domestic affairs and could hinder its reconciliation process. Eight countries abstained from today's vote.

Both the Sri Lanka government and the rebel Tamil Tigers have been accused of atrocities during their country's lengthy civil war. Sri Lanka has rejected the resolution and has said today that the criticism at the level of the United Nations is not justified.

Earlier this week, Dr Manmohan Singh said in Parliament that India "is inclined to vote in favour of the resolution." The Prime Minister had been warned that if India did not vote against Sri Lanka, his key ally, the DMK, would pull out of the government.

Sri Lanka has asked India to reconsider its position. Members of the Sri Lankan delegation to Geneva said today that they understand India's domestic compulsions, but as the super-power in this region, India must recognise that Sri Lanka needs time to investigate the allegations against its defence forces as well as the LTTE, before settling accountability.  

Human rights groups say nearly 40,000 civilians were killed in the final months of the war. The Sri Lankan government had created a committee, the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission Process, to study the allegations of war crimes.  The US delegation in Geneva today referred to the government's "lack of action to implement the recommendations" of that commission.  It described the resolution it has moved as one "that encourages Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of its own LLRC and to make concerted efforts at achieving the kind of meaningful accountability upon which lasting reconciliation efforts can be built."
China has thrown its weight behind Sri Lanka, saying it is against any country putting pressure on others in the name of rights violations. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Sri Lanka and its people were capable of dealing with their own affairs.
China, in recent years has made big investments in Sri Lanka besides assisting the island with major projects like building a modern port at Hambanthotta.  Earlier this month, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited Beijing to seek its support to stave off the US-led move.

The US delegation's statement on the resolution on Sri Lanka:

"The United States is pleased to introduce draft resolution L.2, on Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka for consideration and approval by this Council.  This resolution enjoys the broad support of 40 co-sponsors.  A copy of the text, including slight revisions, is being circulated in the room today.

It is almost three years since the end of Sri Lanka's long and painful conflict.  For the past three years, my government has worked bilaterally, and with like-minded countries, to engage officials at the highest levels of the Sri Lankan government on the steps that are necessary to build a peaceful future for the Sri Lankan people.  For those three years Sri Lanka has had the time and space to develop its own roadmap for lasting national reconciliation and accountability.  Most recently, we have encouraged Sri Lanka to address actions taken on both sides of the conflict through its domestic Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission Process.  We looked forward to the Commission's report, and understood that Sri Lanka would develop its own action plan to implement the LLRC recommendations.

We have also worked bilaterally, and with like-minded countries, to encourage Sri Lanka to take advantage of the resources of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  And we have encouraged Sri Lanka to engage with the Council, and to benefit from the broad range of experiences of Member States that have dealt successfully with their own post-conflict situations.

Mme President and Distinguished delegates, an enduring peace will be unsustainable without meaningful steps to foster national reconciliation and accountability.

Given the lack of action to implement the recommendations of the Sri Lankan government's own LLRC, and the need for additional steps to address accountability issues not covered in the LLRC report, it is appropriate that the UNHRC consider and adopt this moderate and balanced resolution.  It is a resolution that encourages Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of it own LLRC and to make concerted efforts at achieving the kind of meaningful accountability upon which lasting reconciliation efforts can be built.

In addition, this Resolution urges Sri Lanka to work with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and draw from helpful expertise the Office can offer.

These proposals are reasonable, constructive, and carefully tailored to the needs of the situation.  At our informal session on March 8, none of the many delegations present offered proposals for specific textual modifications.

To close, I wish to emphasize that this resolution is intended to help the people of Sri Lanka achieve a lasting and equitable peace that is marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect.

Thank you.

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Sri Lanka asks India to re-think vote on UN resolution on war crimes

Colombo/ New Delhi:  Sri Lanka has urged India to reconsider voting in favour of a resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told Parliament that India is likely to vote in favour of  the resolution which has been moved by Norway, the US and France. Dr Manmohan Singh said that while the text of the resolution is not yet known to India, "We do not yet have the final text of the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka. However, I may assure the House that we are inclined to vote in favour of a resolution that we hope will advance our objective, namely the achievement of a future for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that is marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect."

Sources say Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister called External Affairs Minister SM Krishna today and asked him to reconsider the decision.
The government has been under huge pressure from its ally, the DMK, which has warned that it could withdraw its ministers from the cabinet if India either abstained or supported Sri Lanka during the vote.
The resolution asks for an inquiry into the alleged war crimes and violation of human rights by the Sri Lankan government as it ended the island's civil war by defeating the LTTE.  
The reported crimes against Sri Lankan Tamils have provoked an angry response in Tamil Nadu.

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Bangladesh stun Sri Lanka and dump India out of Asia Cup

Mirpur: Bangladesh made it to the final of the Asia Cup, defying pre-tournament expectations with consecutive victories against their more fancied neighbours. It was only the second time they had reached the finals of a one-day tournament.

The bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 232, but rain siphoned off ten overs and reduced the target to 212. The increased asking-rate, 5.30 an over, gave both teams a chance, but enterprising batting by Tamim Iqbal on a spiced-up pitch gave their chase a kickstart. The Bangladesh middle order withstood the pressure and gave the expectant crowd a reason to show up in similar numbers for the final, on Thursday.

Points Table

Nasir Hossain proved once again why he is the find of the season for Bangladesh and Tamim put the farce of his earlier non-selection to rest. Nasir's calm half-century partnership with Mahmudullah ensured Bangladesh did not implode in the rush for a quick finish. The sea of green jerseys in the crowd were rewarded for staying in their seats even as Sri Lanka clawed back. Many clasped their hands in prayer once Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket, Shakib Al Hasan, but the temperament of the sixth-wicket pair showed why Bangladesh could start the finals not as underdogs, but contenders. India, waiting on the result of this game, will be headed home.

Sri Lanka were pegged back at the very beginning, when another Hossain, Nazmul, coming in for the injured Shafiul Islam, nipped out three top-order wickets. The middle order, led by Chamara Kapugedera, gave the innings some respectability, but were not able to post a challenging score on a ground on which two big chases had already been completed in the tournament.

Scorecard

A mid-innings downpour gave the pitch the kind of zip missing during the afternoon. Lasith Malinga tested the top order with bouncers that fizzed past the helmet, while Nuwan Kulasekara got the ball to swerve in to the right-handers to castle Nazimuddin and flummox the captain Mushfiqur Rahim.

Bangladesh were three down for 40, but the passage of play was punctuated by some blistering strokeplay by Tamim. His balance and follow-through were exemplary, especially in his driving through the off side. Mahela Jayawardene tried to plug that gap with a short point, and later with two fielders up close at cover and extra cover, but Tamim was not deterred. He lofted one over the covers and then whipped consecutive boundaries through midwicket, showing his class on both sides of the wicket.

Shakib, after passing a tough test against some short bowling, settled in and crashed Suranga Lakmal for three consecutive boundaries through the off side. Tamim reached his half-century with a clip for four off Farveez Maharoof, and his pleasing strokeplay won the applause of the country's premiere Sheikh Hasina, also in attendance. He was dropped by Sachitra Senanayake, after lobbing a simple chance back to the bowler, but Senanayake finally got his man when an uppish slash was taken at point. Tamim walked back to a hush from the expectant crowd, with their hopes pinned on Shakib.

Shakib's battle with Senanayake was a compelling one. Shakib got on top of him initially with boundaries over extra cover, but once the bowler shortened his length, Shakib looked edgy. Unsure of the bounce, he stabbed at two consecutive deliveries and nearly lobbed both for catches. Senanayake got one to skid through and trapped him in front of leg stump to give Sri Lanka hope, with the hosts still 77 runs adrift.

Sri Lanka were guilty of easing the pressure on the batsmen by feeding them balls full on the pads, which were clipped away to fine leg. Nasir and Mahmudullah kept out the inswinging yorkers, did not panic when they played the ball to the fielders, and calmly picked up singles. Tillakaratne Dilshan was brought on after the quicks failed to take wickets, but the pair didn't change their approach. A firm push by Nasir was parried by mid-on to the boundary, leading to wild celebrations and a victory lap.

The win was set up by Nazmul, who removed the power trio of Jayawardene, Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara. Jayawardene missed a straight one, Dilshan chopped a delivery onto his stumps and Sangakkara spooned a catch to extra cover, bringing an end to an indifferent season with the bat for him.

Bangladesh came out with a sense of purpose, fielding with intent after winning the toss. They were aided by a surface which, though not the same used for the India-Pakistan game, appeared slower and suited their crop of bowlers. The medium-pacers bowled several slower deliveries to tighten the noose on the run-rate.

Kapugedera and Lahiru Thirimanne added 88 for the fourth wicket, but one of them needed to bat through the innings to set a competitive target. Upul Tharanga made a breezy fifty, but not for the first time since his demotion, he had to repair the damage done upfront, again raising questions about the structure of the batting line-up.

Kapugedera, under pressure to keep his place, made good use of his promotion, using his feet to the spinners. A stroke of luck, though, gave Bangladesh the breakthrough when Thirimanne missed a nudge off Abdur Razzak and was stumped after the ball deflected off Mushfiqur's pads onto the stumps.

Tharanga's arrival perked up the scoring, as he punished a wayward Shahadat Hossain for three quick boundaries. Kapugedera managed a face-saving half-century, but his innings was cut short by a sharp reflex-catch by Shakib at extra cover. Shakib struck with the ball soon after, getting two wickets. Boundaries by the lower order pushed Sri Lanka to 232, but one could sense that was always going to be inadequate.

It ended a mixed season for a travel-weary Sri Lanka, following the highs of Australia. Not too long ago, India were at their hotel rooms in Brisbane, hoping for a Sri Lankan defeat to push them into the CB Series finals. This time in a hotel not far from the ground, they were ironically hoping for a Sri Lankan win. There were no back-door entries for a team which has suffered its worst away season in recent history.

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India likely to vote against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes, says PM

New Delhi:  The Prime Minister said today in Parliament that India is inclined to vote against Sri Lanka at a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. A resolution against the Sri Lankan government for alleged war crimes and human rights violations has been moved by the US, Norway and France. "We do not yet have the final text of the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka. However, I may assure the House that we are inclined to vote in favour of a resolution that we hope will advance our objective, namely the achievement of a future for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that is marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect."  Sources say that the resolution, to be balanced, could include criticism of the LTTE too.

Dr Manmohan Singh's comments have placated his ally, the DMK, which has threatened to pull out of the coalition at the centre if India either abstained or supported Sri Lanka at the vote. The DMK has 18 Lok Sabha MPs and is needed for the government's survival. "We welcome the announcement if it's true," said the party's president, M Karunanidhi, adding "(but) we will wait for the final decision."

All parties from Tamil Nadu have been urging the Centre to take a strong stand on the atrocities allegedly committed by the Sri Lankan government in ending the country's civil war and extinguishing the LTTE. The deaths of Sri Lanka Tamils - 40,000 according to some reports - has been an emotional issue in Tamil Nadu.

In a statement today, the Ministry of External Affairs stressed that Foreign Affairs Minister SM Krishna is "giving great importance to views expressed by MPs from Tamil Nadu" and that India will study the draft of the resolution against Sri Lanka and then take a call on its vote.

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Sri Lanka war crimes: DMK top brass to meet on March 20 to discuss India's stand

Chennai:  The DMK's high level committee will meet on March 20 to discuss India's stand on the US resolution against Sri Lanka at a United National Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi had asked the Centre to support the US resolution on war crimes charges against Sri Lanka.

Mr Karunanidhi had said party would review its ties with the UPA if the Centre opposed the US resolution.

Mr Karunanidhi has gone on record saying, "The DMK will deem it as a betrayal of Tamils if the Centre does not support the resolution on Sri Lanka."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had hinted that India would not support the US resolution. However, sources had earlier told NDTV that the government has assured the DMK that it will consider the sentiments while voting in UN.

After Trinamool Congress, the DMK is the largest ally of the Congress-led UPA with 18 members.

The DMK has not been the easiest partner for the Congress. Its relations with the DMK have not been the most cordial ever since Mr Karunanidhi's close aide A Raja and then his daughter Kanimozhi, went to jail in the 2G scam last year. The DMK, with its 18 MPs too has regularly given the Congress a hard time with its brinksmanship and opposition to key policy.

The allied party had embarrassed the government by disrupting the President's speech on the first day of the Budget session.

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Sri Lanka rejects latest war crimes video

Colombo:  Sri Lanka on Thursday rejected a new video aired on Britain's Channel 4 which levelled fresh allegations of war crimes against the country's leadership and military.

In response to the video "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished", the defence ministry re-released several videos and documents to counter the claims, reported Xinhua.

"The ministry categorically rejects the video as baseless and unacceptable," a defence ministry statement said.

The new video has former British foreign secretary David Miliband and the former head of UN Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes speaking on some of the incidents which took place during the final stages of the war in 2009.

The video blames both the government and the military over some of the incidents, including the failure to send adequate humanitarian aid to the thousands of civilians trapped in the final battle zone.

Sri Lanka says the video has been released with the intention of defaming the government at the ongoing UN summit for Human Rights in Geneva.

"The defence ministry rejects all allegations of human rights violation, stating that it is able to prove with valid evidence that it was the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) that committed gross violation of human rights over the past three decades," it said.

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DMK wants India to vote against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes

Chennai/New Delhi:  The DMK, a senior partner in the UPA, has said that India must vote against Sri Lanka next week in Geneva at a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The resolution has been moved by the US and India had hinted that it would support its neighbour. The DMK wants both Houses of Parliament to discuss this tomorrow and commit to a vote against Sri Lanka.
That's largely due to excerpts from a documentary shot in Sri Lanka that will be aired on Channel 4 this week in the UK. The film shows a 12-year-old lying dead with five bullet holes in his chest. "The boy's name is Balachandran Prabhakaran; he is the son of the LTTE leader, Vellupillai Prabakaran. He has been executed in cold blood," said the documentary's maker, Callum Macrae, in an interview to the Independent newspaper. In the same paper, Mr. Macrae says the video "seems to have been shot [as] a grotesque trophy video by Sri Lankan forces."
TKS Elangovan of the DMK said that party chief M Karunanidhi has seen the video and has made it clear that India cannot support Sri Lanka, or abstain during the Geneva vote. He said the party will consider later whether to exit the UPA if it's demand is not met. Sri Lanka has rejected the claims made by the documentary about alleged war crimes. "The Lankan Government is in the process of reconciliation and taking steps to bridge gaps. We don't need extra regional intervention in our region. It's uncalled for," said Prasad Kariyawasam, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in India.

The 60-minute documentary titled Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished corrodes Sri Lanka's opposition to the resolution moved by the US. What America has asked for is an inquiry into human rights violations and the alleged execution of civilians by Sri Lankan soldiers. The DMK, a major ally in the UPA, wants a discussion tomorrow morning in the Rajya Sabha on whether India will vote against Sri Lanka. In Chennai,  DMK leader M Karunanidhi said, "India should support the US resolution against Lanka in UNHRC...lots of human rights violations have taken place in Sri Lanka." India had hinted earlier that it would support its neighbor during the vote but the new documentary may provoke a reassessment.
Sri Lankan officials have rejected the claims - both in the new documentary and in another last year that also aired on Channel 4 - that the end of their country's 26-year-long civil war included atrocities that catalogue unimaginable war crimes against the island's Tamils.

"The UN reported that over 40,000 people died in weeks. This is appalling. India has a great opportunity to raise this at UN General Assembly. India as a neighbour must act at least now," said Suren Surendiran, a spokesperson for the Global Tamil Forum.

But a faction also warns India that the consequences of voting against Sri Lanka could be grave.

"Support for such adventurist resolutions will make India vulnerable to future resolutions on Kashmir and Manipur," said Subramanian Swamy, the Janata Party President who is from Tamil Nadu.

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LTTE chief's son executed, claims documentary; will India vote against Lanka?

Colombo:  A documentary shot in Sri Lanka, to be aired on Channel 4 this week, shows a 12-year-old lying dead with five bullet holes in his chest. "The boy's name is Balachandran Prabhakaran; he is the son of the LTTE leader, Vellupillai Prabakaran. He has been executed in cold blood," said the documentary's maker, Callum Macrae, in an interview to the Independent newspaper. In the same paper, Mr. Macrae says the video "seems to have been shot [as] a grotesque trophy video by Sri Lankan forces."

The 60-minute documentary titled Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished corrodes Sri Lanka's opposition to a resolution moved by the US at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva. What America has asked for is an inquiry into human rights violations and the alleged execution of civilians by Sri Lankan soldiers. India's vote on the resolution will be closely watched.

Sri Lankan officials have rejected the claims - both in the new documentary and in another last year that also aired on Channel 4 - that the end of their country's 26-year-long civil war included atrocities that catalogue unimaginable war crimes against the island's Tamils.

"The Lankan Government is in the process of reconciliation and taking steps to bridge gaps. We don't need extra regional intervention in our region. It's uncalled for," said
Prasad Kariyawasam, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in India, about the resolution in Geneva that will be put to vote soon.
India had hinted that it would support its neighbor during the vote but the new documentary may provoke a reassessment.

"The UN reported that over 40,000 people died in weeks. This is appalling. India has a great opportunity to raise this at UN General Assembly. India as a neighbour must act at least now," said Suren Surendiran, a spokesperson for the Global Tamil Forum.
The DMK, which is a senior partner in the coalition at the Centre, has begun urging the government to support the rights of the Tamil people. The DMK has given notice in the Rajya Sabha for the suspension of question hour tomorrow  for discussing India's stand on the matter. In Parliament today, as the budget session commenced, MPs from the party shouted loudly, referring to the Geneva resolution. "India should support US resolution against Lanka in UNHRC...lots of human rights violations have taken place in Sri Lanka," DMK chief M Karunanidhi said today.
But a faction also warns India that the consequences of voting against Sri Lanka could be grave.  

"Support for such adventurist resolutions will make India vulnerable to future resolutions on Kashmir and Manipur," said Subramanian Swamy, the Janata Party President who is from Tamil Nadu.

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