Only one vote majority for resolution; 24 say ‘yes’, 23 decline to support: Might overrules right
The United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) yesterday passed the U S sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka with 24 countries in favour and 15 against with eight abstentions, which were essentially countries who are supporters of Sri Lanka. This brought the voting tally to 24 for and 23 against the resolution. Cuba, China and Russia, strong allies of the country voted against the resolution.
Earlier in the day, the chances of the US sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka being carried with a majority vote, increasingly looked the likely scenario with many of the countries who had hitherto pledged their allegiance to Sri Lanka backing away in the wake of intense pressure mounted by the USA and its allies.
Despite this Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and the rest of the delegation made a fervent bid to change the minds of the uncommitted delegates to consider Sri Lanka’s case in a favourable light,but it was apparent that a majority were prepared to vote in favour of the resolution or abstain due to the pressure exerted by US and its ability to wield its economic clout. However, only 24 countries voted in favour of the resolution in the 47-member Council.
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe addressing the Council before the vote yesterday said that after 30 long years of instability and violence Sri Lanka has now achieved stability and peace.
“We need to be given time to further consolidate the clear progress that has been achieved in a short period of three years” he added.
He said “it is against this backdrop that my country is compelled to face a misconceived, unwarranted and ill-timed draft resolution, which embodies several harmful elements that clearly violates important principles that will have adverse ramifications, not only for my country, but many other countries”
The minister added ” This is why we took a decision, on a matter of principle, that we will not accept such a resolution, in an endeavour to also ensure that a bad precedent is not established by this council” The minister also said that the resolution also runs counter to the principle of international law that domestic remedies must be exhausted and should be the first resort, prior to superimposing external mechanisms.
“In respect of Sri Lanka’s situation it is barely three months since the presentation of the domestic mechanism’s report. Is it fair for this council to pre-judge our commitment to all aspects of the domestic process at this juncture”, he questioned.
He also pointed out that Sri Lanka has been a role model of, consistently and unambiguously, engaging with everyone in the council at all times over the years, including during the height of terror. Many other countries too spoke in favour of Sri Lanka while endorsing the country’s view that it needs more time and space to address relevant issues without external interferences.
[Voting at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva]
It is against any country putting pressure on others in the name of rights violations. Sri Lanka has made rapid progress on Human Rights and realization of reconciliation process – China
The resolution was not necessary at this point of time. Sri Lanka should be given time to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). We understand the trauma that Sri Lanka went through due to the war – The Maldives
We oppose the resolution as it is an attempt to dictate terms on a sovereign State how it should handle domestic issues – Russia
The Human Rights Council should not take a biased approach on Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has shown willingness to improve its human rights situation. It has appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to investigate issues in the aftermath of the conflict – Equador
We question the legitimacy and credibility of the draft resolution put forward by the US on Sri Lanka branding it “unjustified and unnecessary”. The US had still not closed its prison at Guantanamo despite President Barrack Obama promising that it would be. This could possibly become a point of confrontation and that it would be best if the resolution on Sri Lanka could be postponed – Cuba
Sri Lanka is struggling to rise out of the ashes of 30 years conflict which claimed thousands of innocent civilians in the country. It should be given more time to promote reconciliation. The resolution makes a negative impact on the smooth process of reconciliation of Sri Lanka – Bangladesh
We are against the resolution against Sri Lanka at this juncture as three years have only elapsed after the conflict – Kuwait
The technical advice mentioned within the resolution should not be used as an instrument of pressure on the have-nots. – Philippines
Sri Lanka as a member of the Non Aligned Movement has taken tremendous efforts to promote reconciliation in the aftermath of conflict – Qatar
Sri Lanka should be given more time to heal the wounds of conflict – Congo
Sri Lanka has taken many positive steps towards the implementation of the LLRC commission and external pressure at this juncture is totally unwarranted – Indonesia
We oppose the efforts to meddle with internal affairs of Sri Lanka – Thailand
Sri Lanka eradicated terrorism which destroyed the country for over three decades. The country has taken a number of steps to promote reconciliation – Uganda
We are of the view that Sri Lanka should have more time for reconciliation – Saudi Arabia
Lanka has made tremendous strides towards development in the aftermath of conflict – Mauritius
Courtesy: Daily News
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- 2024 A/L Examination postponed: New dates announced November 26, 2024
- Sri Lanka Defence Secretary graces 53rd Bangladesh Armed Forces Day November 26, 2024
- MP Ramanathan Archchuna faces arrest warrant over 2021 traffic incident November 26, 2024
- Court orders Arjuna Mahendran to appear over 2015 treasury bond case November 26, 2024
- Sri Lanka to present 2025 Budget on January 9, 2025 November 26, 2024
Hilary Clinton also said that the world has sent a “strong” message to Sri lanka. What a clown who does not know what “strong” means, when only one vote made the difference, possibly by a poor African country bought by US(H)A (United States of Hypocratic America).
Clinton’s brain does not know what her mouth does and she utters what ever comes to her stinky mouth and once said Sri lankan army was using rape as a weapon (and later she was forced to withdraw and appologise to Sri lanka).
This is the kind of morons US(H)A has in its government. US(H)A is nothing but a rich but foolish and cunning thug, who does not attract any real respect from the other countries. Most of the countries (like India) are obedient to US(H)A because of it’s wealth and afraid to US(H)A because it is a thug.
Finally, not to worry too much about this resolution or whatever. It’s just a hollow thing, but it is great that tiny Sri lanka fought all the way head to head with giant thugs like US(H)A.
Where is Nicholas Dias? In this hour of great grief when the nation’s integrity is being threatened, I look up to Nichols’ wise counsel.
Unless Sri Lanka is serious in responding to this resolution, Ealam will be achieved in a couple of years.
The countries against SL never know about srilanka. india knows but the tamil terrorism also made in india..! There’re no more asian countries in this council who know about srilanka..!
So any asian country could face the same. How they decide internal matters of unknown countries..? Asian countries MUST be united & f..k off westerns asap…!!!
i have two words for USA
Negam..”
eelam not possible in srilanka but you “ellaam” will archive it anytime by joining with your pig leader in the hell..! Why waiting for years..?
This US sponsored Resolution, urged by the corrupt money of diaspora Tamils and their vote in US Presidential election in favour of incumbant President, is only a pyrrhic victory for USA, after much arm twisting of smaller nations who were backing SL at first. US dollar was dangled in front of them like a carrot.
Diaspora Tamils did not get the victory they hoped for, that is:
1. For an independent investigation into so-called ‘massacres’ of Tamil civilians during the hostage rescue operation by the SL Defence Forces, who were actually killed by the LTTE themselves when they machine-gunned them and killed them with suicide bombs on the orders of VP, who could not bear to see the hostages flee to the SL army side.
2. For UNHRC to urge SL to grant ‘eelam’ to combined N & E.
India, could have at least ‘abstained’ in our favour as our closest neighbour with so-called ‘special-relationship’ and high volume trade in India’s favour. Had India done so, we would have won.
INDIA HAS STABBED SL IN THE BACK, JUST AS I EXPECTED.
India is trying to wriggle out of it by giving paltry excuses. Hon President should not be duped any more by the sly words of Indian diplomats, uttered through their forked tongues.
INDIA SHOULD BE TAUGHT A BITTER LESSON BY SL.
1. CLOSE ALL THE INDIAN CONSULATES IN JAFFNA, KANDY AND HAMBANTOTA. THESE ARE SPYING DENS OF RAW, WHICH AGITATE THE EELAMISTS EVEN MORE TO SEEK SECESSION, INORDER TO DIVERT TAMIL NADU AGITATION FROM SEEKING AUTONOMY, WHICH IS MORE LOGICAL FOR THE VAST STATE WITH 70 MILLION TAMILS.
2. REDUCE TRADE WITH INDIA TO ONLY CERTAIN ESSENTIAL FOODS AND CLOTHES. REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR 3-WHEELERS CAN BE MADE IN SL ITSELF OR BOUGHT FROM THAILAND. STOP IMPORTING INDIAN BUSES, CARS AND TRAINS. BETTER QUALITY CARS, BUSES AND TRAINS CAN BE IMPORTED FROM CHINA FOR LESS. PHARMACEUTICAL ITEMS, HOSPITAL UTENSILS CAN ALSO BE BOUGHT FROM CHINA, AS DONE BY EUROPE, AS THESE ARE OF FAR SUPERIOR QUALITY THAN THE SHODDY GOODS DUMPED ON SL BY INDIA, WHICH ARE OUT-OF-DATE AND WITH IMPURITIES IN INJECTION BOTTLES AND IN SALINE DRIPS. THERE ARE MANY OTHER QUALITY ITEMS THAT CAN BE IMPORTED FROM ELSEWHERE CHEAPER THAN THE SHODDY GOODS FROM INDIA.
3. HAVE STRONG SL NAVAL PATROLS IN THE PALK STRAIT AGAINST DRUG SMUGGLING, INCURSION BY THOUSANDS OF INDIAN FISHING VESSELS TO HARVEST THE RICH FISHING GROUNDS IN SL WATERS SINCE THEY HAVE DEPLETED THEIR FISHING STOCKS IN THEIR OWN WATERS. INDIAN FISHERMEN SHOULD BE APPREHENDED, HEAVY FINES IMPOSED AND ALL THEIR CATCHES AND BOATS WITH FISHING GEAR CONFISCATED BY SL COURT ORDERS. NO INDIAN FISHERMEN TO BE RELEASED TILL PRISON TERM HAS BEEN SERVED AND NO CONFISCATED BOATS ETC RELEASED. THESE SHOULD BE AUCTIONED OFF. INDIA MIGHT DO TIT-FOR-TAT. SL NAVY PATROLS SHOULD ENSURE SL FISHERMEN DO NOT INTRUDE IN INDIAN WATERS, THERE IS NO FISH THERE ANYWAY.
4. KACHCHATIVU ISLAND NOT TO BE SHARED WITH INDIA. ANY INDIAN FISHERMEN WHO ENCROACH ON SL TERRITORY SHOULD BE APPREHENDED AND CHARGED AS MENTIONED IN 3.
5. DO NOT RENEW MANNAR BASIN OIL EXPLORATION RIGHTS HIRED TO INDIA ON SHORT TERM. DO NOT AUCTION-OFF ANY MORE OIL EXPLORATION RIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY TO INDIA IN PALK STRAIT AND MANNAR BASIN.
6. SIGN URGENT DEFENCE PACTS WITH CHINA AND RUSSIA TO PROTECT SL TO COUNTER ANTICIPATED MILITARY AGGRESSION BY INDIA, USA AND NATO ALLIES. CHINA TO BE GIVEN TRINCO FOR A MILITARY BASE IN TURN. CHINA AND RUSSIA TO PROVIDE US WITH MORE AIRCRAFT, SHIPS AND ORDNANCE. OUR MILITARY/NAVAL AND AIRFORCE OFFICERS TO BE TRAINED FURTHER IN CHINA AND RUSSIA ALSO. STOP SUCH TRAINING IN USA, BRITAIN AND IN INDIA WHO BRAINWASH OUR OFFICERS AGAINST THEIR MOTHER COUNTRY, TO BE SPIES FOR THEM. CHINA TO WRITE-OFF OUR DEBTS IN TURN FOR HAVING GIVEN THEM TRINCO FOR A BASE.
7. RE-CLAIM THE GIANT OIL STORAGE TANKS IN TRINCO HIRED TO INDIA.
8. EXPEL RAW AGENTS ENGAGED IN SPYING ACTIVITIES IN SL.
9. BAN TNA, AS THE POLITICAL FRONT/ARM OF LTTE WHO IS AGITATING FOR SO-CALLED ‘EELAM’ WITH THE HELP OF DIASPORA TAMILS, TAMIL NADU AND IMPERIAL WEST AGENTS.
10. BAN ALL TAMIL POLITICAL PARTIES WITH THE NAME ‘EELAM’, UNLESS THEY AGREE TO DROP ‘EELAM’ FROM THEIR NAME AND NOT AGITATE FOR IT.
Would our Hon President have the courage to punish India for having stabbed SL in the back? He withstood the on-slaught of British and French foreign ministers who tried to stop the Humanitarian Operation against the LTTE, to save the LTTE for another day, to conquer the whole of SL for their ‘tamil eelam’.
I implore the Hon President, to have the courage to withstand India and not to be its slave and meekly yield to bully-boy tactics of bastard India. Enough is enough! India has been our enemy for milleniums and still is. Their diplomacy is one-sided, for their self-interest only.
INDIA OWES US MUCH IN COMPENSATION FOR RUINING OUR ECONOMY FOR 30 YEARS THROUGH LTTE. IT WAS INDIRA GANDHI WHO STARTED THE ROT. SHE COLD-HEARTEDLY NOURISHED, TRAINED, FUNDED AND ARMED LTTE THROUGH RAW AND RELEASED THEIR TERRORIST BLIGHT AGAINST UNSUSPECTING AND UN-PREPARED SL WITH A WEAK LEADER, JR. ON HER ASSASSINATION, RAJIV GANDHI CARRIED ON HIS MOTHER POLICY TOWARDS SL. INDIA’S AIM WAS TO HELP LTTE ATTAIN ITS OBJECTIVE OF TOTAL CONQUEST OF SL FOR ‘TAMIL EELAM’. THIS WAS IN ORDER TO DIVERT TAMIL NADU FROM AGITATING FOR AUTONOMY FROM CENTRAL GOVT IN INDIA. IT ALL ENDED IN A FIASCO. LTTE DEFEATED IPKF, WHICH HAD TO WITHDRAW WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF INDIAN TROOPS DEAD. VP TOOK HIS REVENGE BY ASSASSINATING RAJIV. INDIA IS ONCE AGAIN PLAYING WITH FIRE BY CONCURRING WITH TAMIL NADU TO HELP TNA AND DIASPORA TAMILS ATTAIN THEIR OBJECTIVE OF TAMIL EELAM IN SL.
MY REPLY TO INDIA:
“GRANT TAMIL NADU AUTONOMY FOR ITS 70 MILLION TAMILS IN THE LARGE STATE OF TAMIL NADU, WHICH IS SEVERAL TIMES BIGGER THAN SL. DON’T TRY TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM YOUR PROBLEM BY ENCOURAGING TAMIL EELAM IN TINY SL, IN COMPARISON, WHICH HAS ONLY 1.6 MILLION TAMILS IN N & E COMBINED. THEY DON’T WANT TAMIL SO-CALLED F…ING ‘EELAM’. IT IS THE MINISCULE PERCENT OF TNA WHO AGITATE FOR THIS. TNA IS THE POLITICAL FACE OF LTTE, PLANNED AND ITS MEMBERS HANDPICKED BY VP HIMSELF. NOW THAT LTTE IS DEAD, TNA SHOULD ALSO BE KILLED-OFF AS A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING POLITICAL WING OF LTTE.”
“GIVE JAMMU & KASHMIR THEIR AUTONOMY AS THEY AGITATE FOR. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS HAD BEEN KILLED BY INDIAN TROOPS IN J & K. I CALL UNHRC TO INVESTIGATE THE WAR CRIMES OF INDIA AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN THESE MASSACRES OF CIVILIANS IN J & K. INDIAN LEADERS SHOULD BE HAULED BEFORE THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE FOR THESE CRIMES AND PUNSIHED.”
The Sage, Mr Nicholas Dias has broken his silence.
I have read every word of his intellectual discourse.
Mr Dias, gretly appreciated.
I encourage the political leadership of our land to adopt Mr Dias’ strategic way forward.
That, I believe, will guarantee Ealam in a couple of years time.
It’s hilarious that now these wrecked terrors going to start dreaming of further “couple of years”.! It Doesn’t matter you may dream forever till the death.!
But Why did you fail now..? Is this the only you fools archived by licking western shits & donating $ … /= ?!?
Anyway despite what you got, still you’ve to support those spoiled western politicians to win their elections, otherwise you’ll be kicked out from the west while you’re dreaming..!
What a miserable folk you tamil terrors..?!
You’ve only remain useless empty life in vain now because, you evils didn’t gave a worth to life of you or others at all…! So you barbaric tamil terror killers never get what you want…!