New resolution against SL to contain 'stronger' language

A US-sponsored rights resolution against Sri Lanka tabled at the UNHRC over its alleged rights abuses during the war with LTTE rebels will carry tougher language than it was originally sought, media here said today. The revised draft has made it explicit that there would be an international probe into alleged war crimes, The Sunday Times reported. It said the new draft resolution “takes note of the High Commissioner’s recommendations and conclusions regarding on going human rights violations and the need for international inquiry mechanisms…To lead a comprehensive investigation into alleged serious violations and human rights and related crimes by both parties.” [caption id=“attachment_1436937” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] The Times said the original resolution had been rephrased by adding the word “serious” before the text which read “crimes committed by both parties”. India also included its concerns in the revised draft, the paper said. India has provided for seeking Sri Lanka’s concurrence for action by the UN rights commissioner’s office to let Sri Lanka avail the advice and technical assistance on implementation of the technical aspects of the resolution. More changes are likely to the resolution before being put to vote later this month, the Times reported. Sri Lanka has described the UNHRC’s adoption of the resolution as arbitrary and intrusive of its sovereignty. The resolution, tabled at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on March 3, is the third in as many years on Sri Lanka’s accountability and reconciliation with the Tamil minority. Up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed at the end of the separatist war in 2009, rights groups and UN experts have said. Sri Lanka has long resisted calls for an international investigation calling its own domestic processes were credible enough to deal with the allegations of civilian deaths. PTI