Tamil Leaders Slam UN Resolution Over Sri Lanka – OpEd

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People of Tamil Nadu in general and Tamil politicians in particular are annoyed that the UN resolution pushed by the US is in favor of the Sri Lankan government, its military war crimes unleashed on Lankan Tamils, and is adversarial to Sri Lankan Tamils. Tamils in India and Sri Lanka therefore feel dejected by the US sponsored resolution and the negative approach of the Indian Union government as it did not take any steps over the unanimous resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly to pursue the Tamil cause.

Coming out strongly against a UN resolution that endorsed a domestic probe in Sri Lanka over alleged war crimes, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday expressed deep disappointment and anguish while DMK chief Karunanidhi termed it shocking. Both Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi blamed the Centre for not acting on a September 16 resolution of the Tamil Nadu Assembly seeking an international probe.

“The resolution passed yesterday will in no way render justice to Sri Lankan Tamils. This resolution is in favour of Sri Lankan government and adversarial to Sri Lankan Tamils,” Jayalalithaa said in a statement.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa has asked the Modi government to be on the side of Indian origins living in Sri Lanka.

Former Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa, who was instrumental in committing mass murders or genocides in Tamil localities, is opposed to Lankan Tamils getting justice from the new government tin Colombo and he plays a dubious game with both the Sirisena government and Lankan Tamils. .

The US with its famous Asia pivot targeting China wants Sri Lanka to ignore the Chinese financial support. In order to get Sri Lanka on US-India board against China, Washington is supporting the Rajapaksa pressing the Sirisena regime to give up investigation and punishment for criminals who killed so many Tamils.

The UN Human Rights Council had on October 1 adopted a resolution paving the way for a probe involving foreign judges and prosecutors into the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. Jayalalithaa said although the resolution has features like participation of foreign judges it would in no way be equal to an international judicial probe. “This weak resolution adopted by perceiving a change of heart of the Srilankan government will not do any good to Srilankan Tamils,” she said.

Blaming the central government led by Narendra Modi, Jayalalithaa said that the easy passage for the UN resolution shows that the union government did not take any steps over the unanimous resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Recalling writing to Prime Minister Modi over the issue seeking action on the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution, she said that the Central government has not taken any positive steps over this issue has caused unhealable wound.”

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution asking the Centre to move a “strong resolution” in the UNHRC for an international probe into the alleged war crimes in the 2009 war in Sri Lanka. “I had clearly stated in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that the Indian government had the duty to prevent a resolution asking Sri Lanka itself to probe into war crimes,” she said.

Also, she had pointed out that a September 1 resolution of the Sri Lankan Northern Provincial Council had sought an international probe. International probe was sought so as to ensure justice, to strengthen the Council’s resolution and in deference to the feelings of all Tamils, she said.

Expressing shock over UN resolution, Karunanidhi said it was tantamount to vesting the power to probe in the very hands of the accused and doubted if even such a watered down version would be implemented.

Both Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi has asked PM Modi to take the issue seriously and get justice for Lankan Tamils at the earliest as Lankan government is trying to delay and deny justice while USA is trying to add fuel to Lankan crisis by supporting the military actions. The tamil leaders want PM MOdi to step up pressure on Sisisena before the matter becomes further complicated.

Meanwhile, President Sirisena should keep his own words given to the world about justice for country’s Tamils as part of his reconciliation policy.

Tamils expressed dissatisfaction over President Sirisena’s slow peddling attitude about justice to Lankan Tamils and his double talks about justice for Tamils who voted for him, for a positive change in the governance.

Peace is not just an option, but the only option before Sri Lankan government. It is an obligation on Sirisena’s part to arrange speedy justice delivery to Tamil populations who are yet to come of the fear of military attacks. They expect the island president to do the needful quickly enough without falling into the trap of Rajapaksa or his military bosses.

Elections come and go, but Sirisena has a promise to keep.

Dr. Abdul Ruff

Dr. Abdul Ruff is a columnist contributing articles to many newspapers and journals on world politics. He is an expert on Mideast affairs, as well as a chronicler of foreign occupations and freedom movements (Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Xinjiang, Chechnya, etc.). Dr. Ruff is a specialist on state terrorism, the Chancellor-Founder of Center for International Affairs (CIA), commentator on world affairs and sport fixings, and a former university teacher. He is the author of various eBooks/books and editor for INTERNATIONAL OPINION and editor for FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES; Palestine Times.

2 thoughts on “Tamil Leaders Slam UN Resolution Over Sri Lanka – OpEd

  • October 4, 2015 at 4:04 am
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    India has repeatedly betrayed Tamils and has in fact conspired against them. Any conspirator will have to face justice one day or the other. Tamil’s problems are mainly due to Indian meddling. Sri Lanka is only the secondary cause. Time is on the side of the aggressors – India & Sri Lanka. That’s why no country is ready to oppose them, for selfish strategic reasons. But it would change inevitably soon, and justice would be delivered. But it would might also have to involve the independence of Tamil regions from India and Sri Lanka, for the negative actions of these conspiring nations only will give rise to very bad karma.

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  • October 4, 2015 at 11:40 am
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    Dr. Abdul Ruff, thanks for the article. Thanks Chandra for the comments.
    Indian federation is a total failure on democratic values, justice, humanity and mankind as Centre leaders used corruption to get elected as the most voters are illiterate and in extreme poverty. People who jointly struggled under Mahatma Gandhi for independence from the British lost their rights, voice, freedom and independence under the successive north Indian dominated centre regimes.
    Tamil Diaspora is quite positive as the Tamil youth in TN are closer to the Tamils all over the world than ever before; Tamils have to demand for their rights jointly with other victims, including the Sikhs, Kashmirs, Dalits (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1qHIL9_Cs4). Thanks to social media that help us expose Indian and Sri Lankan state terrorism globally. It is disgrace that the inhuman and undemocratic Indian Centre dominated by the corrupt and alleged criminal North Indians trying to pose the Dravidian Tamils success in Western nations as their success.
    No wonder that the Indian Centre meddling with accountability and justice and exposing their sick and dirty mindset to the world!

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