Issues
Indian activists call on their Govt to support UN Resolution against Sri Lanka
An Urgent Appeal by Indian Activists and Advocates to the Indian Government to Support the UN Resolution on Sri Lanka at the 19th Human Rights Council Sessions
STATEMENT
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. File photo
We, the undersigned, call upon the Indian Government to take action with regards to the situation in Sri Lanka through supporting the US-sponsored resolution at the on-going 19th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). We also note the role of the Indian Government in urging the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to move forward on key issues relating to a political settlement and reconciliation.
While the GoSL has taken some steps towards strengthening peace, there are specific issues where there has been no tangible progress. On addressing reconciliation the Government has done little apart from establish the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and allow the report to be released publicly. Since then it has taken no substantive actions to implement the recommendations. The concern over inaction is further compounded by the fact that the interim recommendations released by the LLRC in September 2010, which addressed detention, administration and language, law and order, socio-economic/livelihood issues and land, were never implemented by the GoSL despite the establishment of an Inter-Agency Advisory Committee which was meant to follow up on implementation.
Among the measures proposed by the LLRC are the investigation of cases of disappearances and abductions, promotion of a trilingual policy, deployment of Tamil-speaking officers in all offices, curbing activities of illegal armed groups, reduction of high security zones, return of private lands by the military and demilitarisation, including phasing out the involvement of the security forces in civilian activities, and the restoration of civilian administration in the Northern Province. While there are a number of credible recommendations made by the LLRC, there are also gaps specifically with regards to war crimes and accountability.
Our communications with activists and community leaders in Sri Lanka have confirmed the need for significant improvements, including efforts to help trace the missing, to devise and implement a political solution, to widen space for civil society groups and to address land conflicts, remain pressing issues, which if left unaddressed can undermine the existing situation in Sri Lanka where there is a real opportunity for lasting peace. The unwillingness of the GoSL to make progress on the LLRC and other measures such as the talks with the Tamil National Alliance is the fundamental obstacle to move forward. It is thus incumbent for other Governments, such as ours, to encourage the GoSL to do so.
When the GoSL released the report of the LLRC in December 2011, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India welcomed it and expressed hope that its recommendations would be implemented by the GoSL. The spokesperson detailed various constructive measures proposed by the LLRC to foster a process of lasting peace and reconciliation
in the island nation, a position reiterated by the Minister of External Affairs, S.M Krishna, who noted the ‘constructive recommendations’ in the LLRC report that provide for ‘genuine national reconciliation.’ The spokesperson also underscored the need to put in place an independent and credible mechanism to investigate allegations of human rights violations in a time-bound manner.
Currently, there is an initiative at the UN HRC in Geneva, supported by the US, to put forward a resolution calling for the GoSL to implement the recommendations, which is essentially in agreement with the position put forward by the MEA. The resolution also calls for the GoSL to report back to the HRC on the implementation of the LLRC and to accept technical support from the UN to implement it. We sincerely hope that the Government of India will follow through on its own statement by supporting this resolution, and strongly urge it to do so.
Endorsed by:
A. Gnanaraj,Chennai
1. Aloysius Irudayam
2. Ambika P. (Penkoottu, Kozhikode, Kerala),
3. Amrita Shodhan 4. Anuradha Kapoor, Calcutta
5. Anusha Hariharan,Delhi
6. Berchmans
7. Bobby Kunhu
8. Breettus
9. Brenna Bhandar
B. Antoine Maria Jerome
10. Chaynika (Mumbai)
11. Dr. Subash Mohapatra (Journalist)
12. Dwijen Rangneker
13.Eugine Rasario
14. Fatima . N (Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum)
15. Fr. K. Amal, Chennai
16. Geetanjali Gangoli
17. Geetha Nambisan
18. Gnana Raj, Delhi
19. (Manipur)
20. James Antonysamy
21. Jayasree Subramanian (TISS – Hyderabad)
22. Joseph Xaviar, Chennai
23. Kalyani Menan
24. Kamayani Bali Mahabal
25. Kaushiki Rao (Activist), Mumbai
26. Kiran
27. Lalita Ramdas
28. Lawrence M.M. Chenna
29. Lena Ganesh
30.Lesley A. Esteves (Journalist),Delhi
31.Madhabi Maity
32. Madhu Mehra, (Delhi)
33. Madhuresh Kumar (National Organiser – National alliance of People’s Movement)
34. Mary E. John (Centre for Women’s Development Studies), Delhi
35. Mayur Suresh (Bangalore) 36. Meena Saraswathi Seshu
37. Navsharan Sing, New Delhi
38. Nimisha Desai (Olakh)
39. Nimisha Olakh
40. Philip Kumar
41. Ponni Arasu, Chennai
42. Prakash Louis
43. Pramada Menon (Queer Feminist Activist), Delhi
44. Prasanna Nair, Kochi
45. Prem SJ
46. Raj Irudaya
47. asgupta, Calcutta
48. Ramesh
49. Ramlath Kavil
50. Ratheesh
51. Rukmini Datta
52. S. Seshan (Human Rights Activist)
53. Saheli
54. Samy Chennai
55. Sch. Sebastian
56. Sebastin thangadurai
57. Shalini Krishan
58. Sharanya Nayak (Excutive Secretary – Humane Trust)
59. Sheba George
60. Shipra Nigam, Delhi
61. Stephen Robert, Chennai
62. Sukla Sen (EKTA- Committee for Communal Amity)
63. Suneeta Dhar
64. Supriya Madangarli
65. Suresh Kumar
66. Tapan Bose (Secretary General – South Asia Forum for Human Rights)
67. Teena Gill
68. Uma Chakravarti (Feminist Historian) Delhi
69. Vasanth Kannabiran
70. Viji Bose
71. Viji Bose
72. Viji P.
73. Vivek Sundara
74. Vomochana
75. Vrinda Grover (Advocate), Delhi
76. Warisha Farasat (Lawyer)