Sri Lanka rights issue: India’s position will depend on final draft of resolution, says Manmohan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that Delhi’s decision on the draft resolution to be tabled by the United States at the ensuing session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva would depend on its content.

“..Our decision will depend on the substance of the final text,” Dr. Singh said in the Lok Sabha, replying to the debate on the motion of thanks for the President’s address to the joint parliament session.

His remarks came ahead of the DMK (a constituent of UPA regime)-sponsored Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation (TESO) conference here on Thursday to highlight the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils.

India was firm on the view that issues of reconciliation and political devolution in Sri Lanka needed to be addressed with a sense of urgency. “We have consistently called upon Sri Lanka to fulfil its public commitments for the implementation of the 13 Amendment (of Lankan constitution) and for building further on it so as to achieve a meaningful political settlement”.

“We have also urged that elections to the Northern Provincial Council be held at the earliest and have called for effective and time-bound implementation of the constructive recommendations contained in the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report”.

Delhi was guided by consistent position that “we support proposals that seek to advance the achievement of a future for the Tamils in Lanka that is marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect”.

India would remain engaged with Sri Lanka to promote a durable settlement of the Tamil problem that enabled Tamil citizens there to lead a life of dignity and self-respect with equal rights. (Courtesy: The Hindu)