Geneva/New Delhi:
The revised draft of the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN human rights body's Geneva session does not mandate an international probe into alleged war crimes and human rights violations during Sri Lanka's lengthy civil war with Tamil rebels.
The new draft, circulated today, just calls upon Sri Lanka to conduct "an independent and credible investigation."
While the March 12 draft had "urged" the Lankan government, the new version "encourages" the "Government of Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations made in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner and also calls upon the Government of Sri Lanka to conduct an independent and credible investigation into allegations of violations of international humanitarian law."
Also, while the earlier draft of the resolution was "Guided by the Charter of the United Nations", it will now be "Guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
The DMK, which withdrew support to the UPA government today, has been insisting that India ask for amendments to the UN resolution and press for an international, independent and time-bound investigation to study alleged war crimes by Sri Lankan forces against the island's minority Tamil population.