India seeks to reassure SL after Geneva vote

Seeking to sweeten the impact of its vote in favor of the US backed resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva, India has stressed that it respects the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and has vowed to remain engaged with the government. [caption id=“attachment_253045” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“monks stand in silence protest outside the Indian High Commission in Colombo: Reuters”]  [/caption]In a press statement after the vote in Geneva, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “India believes that the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights lies with the States. Consequently resolutions of this nature should fully respect the sovereign rights of states and contribute to Sri Lanka’s own efforts in this regard.” The statement went on to stress that the Government of Sri Lanka should provide the leadership in the political process of ensuring reconciliation efforts, and welcomed the steps Sri Lanka had taken to implement the recommendations made by the government appointed Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission in the country. The ministry also stressed India’s involvement in the rehabilitation and resettlement efforts in Sri Lanka in the areas of housing, de-mining, education, public health and connectivity have helped restore a degree of normalcy in the area. “While we subscribe to the broader message of this resolution and the objectives it promotes, we also underline 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. These are norms which all of us in the Council subscribe to. A democratic country like Sri Lanka has to be provided time and space to achieve the objectives of reconciliation and peace. In this Council we have the responsibility to ensure that our conclusions do contribute to this objective rather than hinder it”, it said.