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