This Article is From Mar 20, 2013

UN readies for vote on Sri Lanka: five-point cheatsheet

Geneva: The United Nations is gearing up for a vote on Sri Lanka this week that will hold it accountable for alleged war crimes against its ethnic Tamil population during the final phases of the bloody civilian war against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The US, which is sponsoring the motion against Colombo, has circulated a draft of the resolution.

Here's your ready reckoner on the resolution:

  1. What the resolution says: Moved by the US, the draft resolution against Sri Lanka, in gist, calls for an independent investigation that will be monitored by the UN Human Rights Commissioner.

  2. US resolution toned down: The revised draft circulated by the US is being viewed as a watered down version of the initial one - the resolution was first submitted on March 12 but was re-introduced with changes on March 18. The current draft does not mandate an international probe into alleged war crimes and human rights violations during Sri Lanka's lengthy civil war with Tamil rebels. (Read)

  3. DMK's demand: The Karunanidhi-led party wants India to press for stronger language in the resolution that would call for an independent, international probe against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes against Lankan Tamils. The party also wants the world "genocide" to be part of the text of the resolution. But the government hasn't acquiesced to the DMK's demands, leading the latter to pull out of the government today.

  4. Will India push for changes to the draft: Sources say that for its amendments to be accepted, India would need the support of 24 out of 47 member countries, which is unlikely. Government sources also say that New Delhi will not agree for the word "genocide" to be incorporated in the resolution.

  5. India's contribution to draft? From "urges" to "encourages" and "unfettered access" to "extending invitations" for Special rapporteurs - these are some of the several areas that suggest a softening of language in the revised resolution. Sources say that the toning down of the draft could not have been possible without New Delhi's approval.



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