Asian
Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) urges India to support
UN resolution on Sri Lanka, 4 October 2006
New Delhi: Expressing dismay at India's opposition to
the
draft resolution on Sri Lanka sponsored by the Finland on
behalf of European Union at the ongoing United Nations Human
Rights Council in Geneva, Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR)
called upon the government of India to reconsider its
position and support the resolution. The Human Rights
Council will decide by tomorrow whether to adopt the
resolution.
India has been opposing the draft resolution which calls for
the respect of human rights and calls upon all parties to
put an immediate end to the violations of humanitarian law,
and to guarantee access for humanitarian aid to the
population as well as to guarantee the protection of
humanitarian workers; and strengthening of the presence of
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights and to report on these efforts at the Human Rights
Council during its third session in November 2006.
“India must decide whether it supports continued violations
of human rights and international humanitarian law both by
the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE without any
monitoring or the efforts of the United Nations to address
such violations given the failure of the investigation and
accountability mechanisms in Sri Lankan as reported by the
High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special
Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions to the Human Rights
Council.” – stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of Asian Centre
for Human Rights.
The Sri Lanka government
has been
blocking the presence of international observers into
the inquest being conducted for seventeen Tamil aid workers
of the Action Internationale Contre la Faim who were killed
by the security forces on or around 5 August 2006.
The draft resolution also “expresses concern at the recent
escalation of violence in Sri Lanka following the resumption
of hostilities, leading to increasing violations of human
rights and international humanitarian law, including
increased extrajudicial killings and disappearances,
impunity, large-scale displacement and the continuing forced
recruitment of soldiers by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE), including of children”.
Draft Decision
proposed by Finland, 3 October 2006 [also
in PDF]
The Human Rights Council
Expresses
its concern at the recent escalation of violence in Sri Lanka,
following the resumption of hostilities, leading to increasing
violations of
human rights and
international humanitarian law, including
increased
extrajudicial killings and disappearances,
impunity,
large-scale displacement, and the continuing forced recruitment
of soldiers by the LTTE, including of children. The Council
calls for the respect of human rights and calls upon all parties
to put an immediate end to the violations of humanitarian law,
and to guarantee access for humanitarian aid to the population
as well as to guarantee the protection of humanitarian workers.
Welcomes
the constructive cooperation of Sri Lanka with the Special
Procedures and other human rights mechanisms. The Council
welcomes the announcement by the President of Sri Lanka to
appoint a Commission of Inquiry into allegations of human rights
violations as well as the involvement of an International
Independent Group of Eminent Persons. The Council notes the need
for the Commission of Inquiry to carry out its mandate in
conformity with international standards.
Invites
the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights to consider strengthening its
presence in Sri Lanka and to report on these efforts at its
third regular session in 2006. The Council also invites the
Group of Eminent Persons to update it on its activities in the
said session.
UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL