The Sri Lankan government recently requested the member nations of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to reject an upcoming resolution pertaining to the country’s human rights accountability and reconciliation. The resolution is aimed at ensuring justice for victims of the 26-year-long civil war that primarily involved the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) insurgent group. Both sides were alleged to have committed war atrocities leading to the death of at least 100,000 people. This article will explore the current scenario.
Understanding The New Draft Resolution/The Zero Draft
It includes elements from the UNHRC report, emphasizing the need to strengthen the HRC’s capacity in terms of preserving evidence, strategizing future accountability processes, and supporting judicial proceedings in member states. The report accused the Sri Lankan government of forming parallel military task forces, threatening democratic gains, judicial independence, and other crucial institutions. It urges the Sri Lankan government to implement the requirements of the Resolution 30/1.
A Quick Recap of Resolution 30/1
This resolution urged the Sri Lankan capital Colombo to establish a credible judicial procedure involving Commonwealth and foreign judges, lawyers, and authorized investigators to probe on the alleged rights abuses. Recently, Sri Lanka denounced this resolution as against the country, stating it had mandates that were not deliverable and violated the country’s constitution. It also requests the High Commissioner’s office to monitor progress on national reconciliation and accountability mechanisms.
The Stance of UNHRC
The UNHRC asserts that the present Sri Lankan government is actively obstructing investigations into past crimes, preventing accountability and having a disastrous impact on families in search of truth, justice, and reparations. Member states are encouraged to pay heed to early signs of potential violations, support international action, employ sanctions against alleged human rights culprits, and pursue investigations in their national courts under accepted principles of extraterritorial or universal jurisdiction of international crimes committed in Sri Lanka.
India’s Previous Voting Pattern on Resolutions Against Sri Lanka
India voted against Sri Lanka in a 2012 resolution but abstained from voting in 2014.
The Path Ahead
The current problems can be traced back to the state’s actions, be it repressive militarisation, support to majoritarian interests or centralization of power. However, these issues must be tackled by the citizens rather than seeking help from international forums. Moreover, India-Sri Lanka relations have been negatively influenced by the ‘China factor,’ the ‘Sri Lankan ethnic issue,’ and the ‘UNHRC resolution.’ To improve relations, India should concentrate more on its traditional and cultural ties with Sri Lanka and recognize each other’s concerns and interests.
